Nabothian cyst

A nabothian cyst is a mucus-filled cyst on the surface of the cervix. They are most often caused when new tissue growth blocks the nabothian glands of the cervix; this traps mucosal secretions in small (usually 2-10 mm in diameter) subdermal pockets.

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Nabothian cysts appear most often as firm bumps on the cervix's surface. A woman may notice the cyst when inserting a diaphragm or cervical cap, or when doing the cervix check as part of fertility awareness.^[1] A gynecologist may notice the cysts during a pelvic exam.

Nabothian cysts are considered harmless and usually disappear on their own. Some women notice they appear and disappear in relation to their menstrual cycle. If a woman is not sure the anomaly she has found on her cervix is a nabothian cyst, a visit to a doctor is recommended to rule out other conditions.^[1]

Rarely, nabothian cysts have a correlation with chronic cervicitis, an inflammatory infection of the cervix.

Nabothian cysts are not considered problematic unless they grow very large and present secondary symptoms. A gynecologist may wish to perform a colposcopy or biopsy on a nabothian cyst to check for cancer or other problems. Two methods for removing these cysts include electrocautery and cryofreezing.

Nabothian cysts are also known as nabothian follicles, mucinous retention cysts, or epithelial inclusion cysts. They are named after German anatomist Martin Naboth (1675-1721), who who wrote about them in a 1707 treatise titled De sterilitate mulierum. However, they were earlier described by French surgeon Guillaume Desnoues (1650-1735).^[2]

See also

• Cyst
• Polyp (medicine)