Bartholin's cyst explained

In August 2025, Rachana (name changed), a 38-year-old employee at a multinational, noticed a small swelling in her vaginal area. Like most people, she brushed it off assuming it would go away on its own. “It was tiny at first, but it kept growing. Soon, I couldn’t sit or walk with ease. My periods became very uncomfortable too,” she recalls. What followed was a painful, deeply distressing experience — one she later learned had a name: a Bartholin’s cyst.

Not discussed often

Despite being relatively common, Bartholin’s cyst isn’t commonly discussed, often leaving women confused, anxious, and unprepared.

In simpler terms, there are two pea-sized Bartholin’s glands located on either side of the vaginal opening. When the duct of one of these glands gets blocked due to infection, inflammation, or even thickened secretions, a fluid-filled swelling can form. “It often develops without warning because the blockage is gradual and initially painless,” explains Dr Anita Soni, Director of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at a Mumbai hospital.

For many women, the cyst may remain small and painless. But when infected, it can escalate into an abscess causing severe pain, redness, and even fever. That escalation is something Rachana experienced within days of noticing the swelling. “It grew to the size of a golf ball and I had to rush to the hospital, where the doctor used local anaesthesia to drain it,” she says. The relief was immediate, and gradually, the symptoms subsided. But earlier this year, the cyst returned. Surgery was suggested, and before she could proceed, the cyst ruptured on its own.

According to Dr Soni, Bartholin’s cysts account for nearly two per cent of gynaecological consultations annually, most commonly affecting women between the ages of 20 and 40. Risk factors include prior history of cysts, local infections, and being sexually active.

Needs monitoring

“A simple cyst is usually painless, but an abscess is acutely painful,” says Dr Soni. While small, asymptomatic cysts may simply be monitored, infected ones require prompt intervention — typically antibiotics and incision and drainage. In recurrent cases, a minor surgical procedure called marsupialisation may be recommended.

Dr Soni says that awareness is key, not just for early treatment, but also to rule out rare complications, especially in women over 40 where further evaluation may be needed. For now, the advice is simple: don’t ignore persistent discomfort.