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Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is a potentially dangerous
over-reaction to the drugs used to stimulate your ovaries. It may lead to
enlarged ovaries with a very large number of follicles, high blood hormone
levels, and swelling of the abdomen.
About 5% of women who go through ovarian stimulation during
IVF treatment develop some degree of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. The
symptoms you need to watch out for are excessive bloatedness, swollen
stomach, lower abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, shortness of
breath and reduced urine. Mild symptoms are common, but the condition may be
severe in 1-2% of cases.
The best treatment is avoidance and we are careful not to
give high doses of gonadotrophins to women who may be at risk of developing
OHSS. Severe cases need hospitalisation and correction of fluid imbalance,
i.e. giving fluids intravenously and possibly draining of the fluid
collecting in the abdomen.
If you appear to be at risk during treatment your drug
treatment may be modified or your treatment cancelled.
Pregnancy can make symptoms worse and therefore, if you
experience severe symptoms after egg collection, we may freeze all your
embryos for replacement in a later cycle, after the symptoms have been
resolved and you are no longer at risk.
If you visit your GP as a result of any of the above
symptoms you should make sure he or she knows that you have been receiving
ovarian stimulation drugs. Take this leaflet with you so that both you and
your GP have immediate contact details for the ACU.
If you are currently one of our patients in treatment and at
all worried that you have any of the symptoms described above then you
should call the ACU on:-
0121 627 2700 during working hours (9.00am-5.00pm Monday
to Friday)
or
07973 324 587 outside of working hours |
