My mom is 46 years old and had a cyst on her ovaries. the doctor took the cyst out and half of her ovaries. can leaving the other half cause problems?

Ovariectomy: For a woman in her 40s, leaving in one of her ovaries is likely to help rather than cause problems. Menopause normally does not occur until about age 50. Surgical removal of both ovaries before the age of natural menopause can cause earlier onset of bone density loss, hot flashes, vaginal dryness and other symptoms associated with low estrogen levels. One functioning ovary can prevent this.

No: Leaving the rest of the ovary will not 'cause' problems; but your mom will still need periodic exams because she could still develop ovarian cancer. She is not at greater risk for this than any other woman her age.

Possibly.: If your mother is prone to ovarian cysts, then it's possible that the remaining ovary (she previously had two) could develop a cyst. It's also possible that the remaining ovary is still functioning normally. If her reproductive system is otherwise healthy and she's sexually active, another problem the remaining ovary could cause is an unplanned pregnancy.

It should not: Every case is unique, but generally if the ovary is able to be saved, even a part of it, it is beneficial as it can still provide some natural hormonal balance for mom. Best wishes.