Presenting Complaint and Histopathological Types of Ovarian Masses in Patients Undergoing Laparotomy in Reproductive Age

Objectives: To determine the frequency of presenting complaints and histopathological types of ovarian masses in patients undergoing laparotomy in reproductive age. Methodology: This study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a tertiary care hospital during February to May 2025. A total of 202 patients aged 15–45 years undergoing laparotomy for ovarian masses were enrolled. Clinical presentation and demographic details were recorded. Histopathological examination was performed postoperatively, and tumor types were classified as benign, borderline, or malignant, along with identification of histological subtypes. Results: The most frequent presenting complaint was abdominal mass (36.6%), followed by increased urinary frequency (20.3%) and nausea (18.3%). Histologically, 64.4% of the tumors were benign, 10.9% borderline, and 24.8% malignant. Epithelial tumors were the most common histological type (52.5%), followed by germ cell tumors (32.2%) and sex cord-stromal tumors (15.3%). The majority of cases were in the 15–30 year age group (52%) and had low parity (83.7%). Conclusion: Abdominal mass is the most common presenting symptom among reproductive-age women undergoing laparotomy for ovarian masses. Benign epithelial tumors predominate, highlighting the importance of early clinical evaluation and histopathological confirmation for optimal management.