Suze Lopez’s Struggle with Ovarian Cyst
41-year-old Suze Lopez from Los Angeles had long suffered from a large ovarian cyst, which caused irregular periods and abdominal discomfort. Over the years, the cyst grew to an astonishing 9 kilograms. She decided to visit Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for surgery.
Unexpected Discovery of Pregnancy
During preoperative testing, doctors asked Suze to take a routine pregnancy test. To her astonishment, she was pregnant. As a nurse, she initially suspected a false positive caused by the ovarian cyst.
Three days later, while watching a baseball game, Suze shared the news with her husband. Soon after, she experienced severe abdominal pain and high blood pressure, prompting an urgent hospital visit. 
A Rare Abdominal Ectopic Pregnancy
At the hospital, doctors discovered that Suze was indeed pregnant, but unusually. She had an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, meaning the fetus was developing outside the uterus, behind the large ovarian cyst. The fetus’s head was located near the left upper abdomen under the spleen.
The growing fetus had pushed the cyst forward, explaining why Suze had not realized she was pregnant. Doctors noted that such cases are extremely rare, as abdominal pregnancies usually cannot support full-term fetal development.
Medical Team Performs Complex Surgery
Due to the combination of a giant ovarian cyst and a full-term abdominal pregnancy, Cedars-Sinai assembled 30 specialists for a highly coordinated surgical procedure.
On August 18, surgeons first removed the massive dermoid cyst to allow obstetricians to deliver the baby safely. The newborn was then transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Mother and Baby Safe: A Medical Miracle
Despite significant blood loss requiring 11 units of transfused blood, Suze and her baby, Ryu Lopez, were both healthy. Ryu weighed 3.6 kilograms, had a full head of hair, and showed no signs of lung complications. Cedars-Sinai described the birth as a medical miracle.
Suze Lopez’s Reflection
For Suze, this was a moment of double joy: the removal of a burdensome ovarian cyst and the safe birth of her second child. She expressed gratitude, saying every day now feels like a gift.
