- Hello, my name is Dr. Rachael Knight.
I am a fertility specialist with Melbourne IVF.
Welcome to "Fertile Minds".
I will be talking today about ovarian
hyperstimulation syndrome.
This is a rare condition that occurs
during and following IVF treatment.
The condition occurs as a result of the medications used
to stimulate ovaries,
which is a required process for IVF treatment.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome,
while rare, can have some serious consequences.
And the symptoms include pain, bloating, nausea,
and vomiting.
We have a number of medications that are available to us
now that substantially reduce the risk of this occurring
to you during your IVF treatment.
We also have ways of determining which patients
are more likely to to develop this condition than others.
And through the sophisticated monitoring process,
we are able to care for these patients
and reduce their risk.
If you feel that you are at risk, or you have concerns
that you are developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome,
you should contact your clinic or fertility specialist
to discuss further.
The mechanism of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is
secondary to the medications used for IVF.
They are mostly injectable medications,
and they lead to an increase in follicle numbers
on someone's ovaries.
This is a required part of treatment
in most IVF treatments or most IVF cycles.
However, in some patients,
their follicle numbers become high,
their hormone levels increase,
and this leads to problems including abdominal distention,
enlargement of the ovaries,
an increase in fluid development
inside the abdomen or pelvic area,
and subsequently that can cause symptoms such as
pain, nausea, vomiting, and in rare and severe cases,
a patient may be admitted to hospital.
We are also concerned as doctors
that patients may have an increased risk of blood clots,
which can occur, again, incredibly rarely
with this condition,
that will need prevention and treatment.
This condition, I will stress, is a rare side effect of IVF.
And with modern IVF practices and medications,
the risk of this condition should be remote.
I've seen this condition only rarely,
and over the past few years, many clinics have
reduced their risk of severe ovarian
hyperstimulation syndrome significantly.
The reason for this is a change in medication
which has brought about a significant reduction.
This medication is given at the final preparation stage
prior to a collection.
And by utilizing this medication,
the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
has been significantly improved.
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