Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a complication occasionally seen in women who take certain fertility medicines that stimulate egg production.
See also: Infertility
Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Some women who have trouble getting pregnant may be given medicines to help them make more eggs.
If these medicines stimulate the ovaries too much, the ovaries can suddenly become very swollen. Fluid can leak into the belly and chest area. This is called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). OHSS occurs only after the eggs are released from the ovary (ovulation).
You may be more likely to get OHSS if your doctor gives you a shot of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). You may have an even greater risk of this syndrome if you get more than one dose of hCG after ovulation and if you become pregnant during this cycle. OHSS rarely occurs in women who only take fertility drugs by mouth.
OHSS affects up to 1 in 10 women who go through in vitro fertilization.
Additional risk factors for OHSS include:
The symptoms of OHSS can range from mild to severe. Most women with the condition have mild symptoms such as:
In rare cases, women can have more serious symptoms, including:
If you have a severe case of OHSS, your health care provider will need to carefully monitor your symptoms. You may be admitted to the hospital.
Your weight and size of your belly area (abdomen) will be measured. Tests that may be done include:
Mild cases of OHSS usually don't need to be treated. You can ease your discomfort by doing the following:
You should weigh yourself each day to make sure you are not putting on too much weight (5 or more pounds a day).
In the rare case that you develop severe OHSS, you will probably need to go to a hospital. The health care providers there will give you fluids through a vein (intravenous fluids), remove fluids that have collected in your body, and monitor your condition.
Most mild cases of OHSS will go away on their own after menstruation starts. If you have a more severe case, it can take several days for symptoms to improve.
If you become pregnant during OHSS, the symptoms may get worse and can take weeks to go away.
In rare cases, OHSS can lead to life-threatening complications, including:
Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:
If you are receiving injections of fertility medicines, your doctor will monitor you carefully with blood tests and pelvic ultrasounds to make sure that your ovaries aren't over-responding.
If your estrogen level rises very high or very quickly while taking fertility injections, your risk for OHSS is increased. You may need to take a lower dose of the medicines or temporarily stop treatment.
Some women may be given a protein solution called albumin to reduce the chances of OHSS.
OHSS
Lobo RA. Infertility: etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management, prognosis. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 41.
Schorge JO, Schaffer JI, Halvorson LM, et al. Treatment of the infertile couple. In: Cunningham FG, Leveno KL, Bloom SL, et al, eds. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2010:chap 20.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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