Lynsey McDonald was delighted when she fell pregnant for the first time aged 35, but one worrying symptom turned out to be the sign of something sinister.
High blood pressure was the only sign of a life-threatening 14cm tumor growing on the young mother’s ovary.
The Birkdale, Queensland, woman, then 36, had a healthy pregnancy until she developed pre-eclampsia eight months later.
Her condition continued to worsen with each passing day and Lynsey eventually had to undergo an emergency caesarean section at 40 weeks pregnant.
During the operation, surgeons were stunned to discover a giant tumor the size of a grapefruit growing on Lynsey’s right ovary.
“There I was celebrating the birth of our first child and the doctors were talking about the large mass that had been growing on my ovary,” Lynsey said.
‘If my son had not been born by emergency caesarean section that day, the tumor could have continued to grow. I truly believe Lennox saved my life.
Dr Huda Safa, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mater Hospital, revealed that the 14cm tumor “looked aggressive”.
Lynsey McDonald was delighted when she became pregnant for the first time aged 35, but one worrying symptom turned out to be the sign of something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
High blood pressure was the only sign of a life-threatening 14cm tumor growing in the young mother’s ovary.
Lynsey’s tumor (struma ovarii) only occurs in less than 1 percent of all ovarian cancer cases.
The disease is often accompanied by symptoms including abdominal pain and bloating, abnormal menstrual cycles, vaginal bleeding, frequent and urgent urination, deep vein thrombosis, and more, none of which Lynsey experienced.
But the ordeal was far from over.
Minutes after giving birth to her son, Lennox, the new mother had to make a life-changing decision: allowing her doctors to remove her ovary, fallopian tubes and the 14cm tumor.
“I just couldn’t make the decision, but (my husband Matthew) called and said I was too important,” the mother said.
“All I wanted was to have another baby and I didn’t know if that would be possible if I only had one ovary.”
The couple continued trying to have another child despite Lynsey’s condition.
‘We both really wanted another baby. Maintaining the pregnancies was difficult – we had four miscarriages in a row and it was a really difficult time for Matt and me,” she said.
Dr Huda Safa, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mater Hospital, said the 14cm tumor “looked aggressive”.
Despite the harrowing experiences, Lynsey and Matt never gave up hope of having another child.
She ended up getting pregnant naturally in late 2023 and welcomed a second baby in June 2024, after turning 40.
“We are very happy to have carried Evander’s pregnancy and we are very, very grateful to have our little family,” she said.
‘I have my children in my arms and I can’t believe it, my dreams have come true.
‘I’m so proud of my body, after such a difficult time trying to maintain a pregnancy, we have another little miracle we created with an ovary!’
Lynsey thanked her healthcare team at Mater Mothers’ Hospital for caring for her family during one of the most difficult times of her life.
