Nabothian cysts are completely normal. They are benign, mucus-filled bumps that form on the cervix, and they show up in up to 12% of routine gynecological exams. Most people never know they have one unless a doctor spots it during a pelvic exam or cervical screening. They don’t require treatment in the vast majority of cases.
What a Nabothian Cyst Actually Is
Your cervix has two types of tissue that meet at a zone called the transformation zone. One type is flat and smooth (the outer lining), while the other contains tiny glands that produce mucus. Over time, the flat tissue can grow over the gland tissue and trap it underneath. When that happens, the glands keep secreting mucus with nowhere for it to go, and a small fluid-filled pocket forms. That pocket is a nabothian cyst.
This tissue-replacement process is a normal part of how the cervix maintains itself throughout your life. It speeds up after events that cause inflammation or healing on the cervix: childbirth, infections like cervicitis, or procedures like cryotherapy or cauterization. But it also happens on its own as part of the cervix’s natural cellular turnover, which is why nabothian cysts are so common even in people with no history of cervical procedures or childbirth.
Size, Appearance, and What Your Doctor Sees
On a physical exam, nabothian cysts look like small, smooth, dome-shaped bumps on the surface of the cervix. They can be translucent or opaque and are typically just a few millimeters across. Some grow to several centimeters, but that’s uncommon. On ultrasound, they appear as small, well-defined cysts with no blood flow inside them.
You can have one cyst or several at the same time. Having multiple nabothian cysts is still considered a normal finding and doesn’t change the outlook.
Why Most People Have No Symptoms
The overwhelming majority of nabothian cysts cause zero symptoms. You won’t feel them, and they won’t affect your periods, your fertility, or your daily life. Most are discovered incidentally when a healthcare provider is looking at the cervix for an entirely different reason, like a routine Pap smear.
In rare cases, a cyst that grows large enough can cause light pressure or fullness in the vagina, pain during intercourse, or mild pelvic discomfort. Very large or multiple cysts can occasionally press on nearby structures, potentially affecting urination, bowel habits, or menstrual flow. If a cyst ruptures on its own, you might notice a brief episode of mucus-like vaginal discharge, sometimes with a small amount of blood or an unusual smell. These symptoms typically resolve quickly.
Do They Affect Fertility or Pregnancy?
Standard nabothian cysts do not interfere with getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy. They sit on the surface or just below the surface of the cervix and don’t block the cervical canal. In extremely rare documented cases, giant cysts (well beyond the typical size) have been associated with cervical obstruction, but this is not something the average person with a nabothian cyst needs to worry about.
When Further Testing Happens
A typical nabothian cyst doesn’t need any imaging, biopsy, or follow-up. However, if a cyst looks unusually large or complex, your doctor may want to take a closer look with ultrasound or another imaging method. The reason is that a rare type of cervical cancer called adenoma malignum can mimic the appearance of multiple nabothian cysts. On imaging, the key differences are that adenoma malignum tends to show irregular cystic patterns, increased blood flow within the lesions, and cysts that extend deeper into the cervical tissue than normal nabothian cysts would. A straightforward nabothian cyst has clean, well-defined borders and no internal blood flow.
This distinction matters more for your doctor than for you. The important takeaway is that a single or few small, smooth cysts found during a routine exam are not a red flag and do not signal cancer.
Treatment Is Rarely Needed
Most nabothian cysts are left alone permanently. They’re benign, they’re painless, and they pose no health risk. No medication, procedure, or monitoring schedule is necessary for a typical cyst.
Treatment only comes into play if a cyst grows large enough to cause symptoms like persistent pain, pressure on the bladder or rectum, disrupted menstrual flow, or discomfort during sex. In those cases, the cyst can be drained. The procedures are minor and performed in an office setting. After drainage, symptoms resolve, though new cysts can form over time since the underlying process (normal tissue turnover on the cervix) continues throughout your reproductive years.
Can They Go Away on Their Own?
Some nabothian cysts do resolve spontaneously when they rupture and release their mucus contents. Others persist for years without changing. Neither scenario is a problem. Whether a cyst stays, shrinks, or disappears, the clinical significance is the same: it’s a normal part of cervical anatomy that doesn’t need intervention unless it’s causing you trouble.