Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

an important complication of in vitro fertilization

Justice, Heather M. MD
Counselman, Francis L. MD

Department of Emergency Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School and Emergency Physicians of Tidewater, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA

Received for publication June 7, 2007; accepted June 22, 2007

American Journal of Emergency Medicine 26(1):p 115e3-115e4, January 2008.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is an iatrogenic complication of ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction techniques (Budev M, Arroliga A, Falcone T. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Crit Care Med 2005; 33(10) Supplement: S301-S306; Beerendonk CCM, van Dop PA, Braat DDM, Merkus JMWM: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: facts and fallacies. Obstet Gynecol 1998; 53(7):439–449). The syndrome is characterized by cystic enlargement of the ovaries and fluid shifts from the intravascular to the third space (Beerendonk CCM, van Dop PA, Braat DDM, Merkus JMWM: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: facts and fallacies. Obstet Gynecol 1998; 53(7):439–449). We present a patient with a classic presentation of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.