Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)

Women having IVF treatment, or considering having it, should be made aware of the risks of a complication, or syndrome, that could arise whilst on this type of fertility treatment. Those women having IVF treatment have a higher percentage of risk of it than those on fertility drugs, as a consequence of induction.

However, women on fertility drugs to stimulate ovarian production are at risk too from this potentially serious complication as a result of the type of assisted conception technique they receive. Sometimes, when overstimulated ovaries enlarge, chemicals released make blood vessels leak fluid, this causes Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome to occur and as many as 1 in 3 women, or 33%, will suffer from this complication in its mild form, and 1 in 20 women could develop it moderately or seriously.

The chemicals released into the bloodstream by enlarged ovaries cause tiny blood vessels to leak fluid into the abdomen, and in severe cases, into the space surrounding the heart and lungs. The kidneys, liver and lungs can all be affected. Rarely, thrombosis can occur, and there have been reports of a small number of deaths from this complication.

The mild symptoms that are associated with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome are bloating of the abdomen, mild pain in the abdomen, and an ovarian size of 8cm. In moderate cases, the symptoms of abdominal pain will be accompanied by vomiting, ultrasound evidence of the accumulation of serious fluid in the peritoneal cavity will be presented, and the ovarian size will be 8-12 cm.

Severe cases will present with an ovarian size of 12 cm, could have all of the above symptoms, and may also be suffering from an abnormally small production of urine, low levels of protein in the blood, and a measurement or hematocrit reading of 45%.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome presented in a critical state may also show acute respiratory distress syndrome as well as above symptoms. Mild symptoms can resolve in a few days or a few weeks if pregnancy occurs. However, any woman who is on IVF treatment who suffers any of the above, pregnant or not, should call for medical help.

Pregnancy Diet

There can’t be many experiences that make a woman think more seriously about her health and diet than the amazing months of pregnancy. Before becoming a mum-to-be, you may have taken good care of yourself by eating healthily and exercising or you may have had a busy job and had to eat on the run, but eating to have a healthy pregnancy and baby means a transition like no other.

If you were counting the calories before you were pregnant, or eating junk food, or you were on any kind of diet, stop them today, and consider your pregnancy diet.

When you are expecting a baby, your body is more efficient that at any other time in your life and it makes good use of the energy it obtains from the food you eat. Your appetite will probably fluctuate at the beginning of your pregnancy as your body adjusts to its new condition.

If you suffer from morning sickness in the early months, you may not feel like eating certain foods. Follow your instincts and eat what you like. Fortunately, morning sickness passes, and during the middle part of your pregnancy, and when you feel more like eating, your pregnancy diet will become more interesting for you.

Fish contains good proteins and omega-3 fatty acids as well as Vitamin D, so including fish twice a week on your menu will benefit both you and your baby. But like all foods, too much of it isn’t good. Oysters, undercooked foods like chicken, eggs, and meat, should be avoided too. Certain cheeses like Stilton, Brie and Camembert, should be avoided because they can contain listeria bacteria that is harmful for your baby.

Folic acid is very important for both you and your baby so definitely include foods containing that in your pregnancy diet, especially in the early months. Breakfast cereal contains it and is easy to eat even when you’re suffering from morning sickness. 400 micrograms of folic acid is recommended up to week twelve of your pregnancy and it is available too as a supplement.

Trying To Get Pregnant

Some women seem only to have to look at their partners to fall pregnant and for others it’s a struggle. Yet usually, falling pregnant is simply a question of timing because there is only a small amount of time during a month that conception will be possible.

There are only 12 to 24 hours after the reproductive system releases an egg, when conception can occur. A healthy sperm can survive for up to five days inside your cervical fluid so there are about six days of the month where you have a chance of conceiving when you are trying to get pregnant.

According to experts, the ideal time to have sex with your partner to conceive is the day before, or the day of ovulation, and as often as you can from over the five or six day period to increase your chances. To work out your day of ovulation, count the number of the days in your cycle from the day you begin menstruating one month, right up until the day before you begin the following month. Make a note of these days and count again two or three times, exactly the same way.

Soon, when you’re trying to get pregnant, you will discover what your own unique cycle length is. On average, ovulation happens about 14 days before the end of your cycle, but cycles can sometimes change, so regular intercourse throughout the month will increase your chances. If you have irregular cycles, there are ovulation-monitoring kits available so check with your pharmacist.

Generally, it is the considered view of experts that a healthy couple can take up to a year to conceive. Fertility declines after the age of 35, although many women have children into their 40’s. There are other factors to consider when trying to get pregnant.

If you’ve been taking any form of oral contraceptive, it’s best to wait until your natural cycle returns before you try to conceive. If you and your partner are healthy, relaxed, have a good lifestyle and have sex 2-3 times per week, don’t worry, conception will happen eventually.

Pregnancy Ultrasound

Most mothers-to-be will be advised to attend their antenatal clinic before their pregnancy reaches 14 weeks for an ultrasonic scan and they may well be wondering why an ultrasonic scan examination is necessary, or what it is, or what the scan examination entails. This routine examination is usually performed again when your pregnancy reaches 18-22 weeks. In the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, an ultrasound scan can be taken by inserting a tiny probe inside the vagina.

The probe sends sound waves through the body and they form pictures that are sent to a monitor. This type of pregnancy ultrasound can show tiny embryos of just a few millimeters in length on the monitor. Measuring the length of the embryo can help to determine when the baby will be due.

Early ultrasonic scanning also lets health practitioners know that the fetus is alive and well, and will show if there is more than one fetus present. Even at this early stage, scanning can reveal any abnormalities of the chromosome by measuring the thickness of the skin at the back of the fetus’s neck.

In later stages of your pregnancy, gel will be spread on your abdomen, and the pregnancy ultrasound scanner will be passed over your uterus to scan the fetus and the placenta, and sound waves will send pictures to the monitor.

From 18 weeks, most of your baby’s organs, like the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys, can all be seen as well as its spine, skull, arms and legs. After 30 weeks scanning can estimate how well your baby’s growing and help practitioners to evaluate your placenta, pelvis and amniotic fluid. The number of scans you will need will depend on previous scans/blood tests.

To get a good picture, a full bladder is necessary for a pregnancy ultrasound scan, so most mothers-to-be are asked to drink two or three glasses of liquid an hour before the scan. Apart from feeling a little uncomfortable due to a full bladder, ultrasonic scans are painless and most mums’ love seeing the pictures of their new baby on the monitor.

Pregnancy Nutrition

Making sure you eat enough food to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to provide you with good health and energy is important throughout life, but especially when you’re pregnant. Your body has to deal with a lot of changes that are taking place and must provide a healthy diet to help your baby’s growth and development.

It is therefore, very important that when you are pregnant, you try to eat a good variety of foods. Five portions of fruit and vegetables, whether they are fresh, tinned, or frozen, should form part of your pregnancy nutrition, and they could also be dried or in a glass of juice.

Cutting down on cakes and biscuits is a good idea because they have a lot of sugar and fat in them and sometimes bicarbonate of soda. However, you do need some starchy foods and malt loaf, currant buns, bread, brown rice, pasta and potatoes are good for you. Having wholemeal products will provide you with enough fiber along with your fruit and vegetables.

Dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese will provide your body with calcium but some cheeses should not be included in your pregnancy nutrition plan. These are Brie, Camembert and Stilton, or blue cheeses. These can contain listeria, which is a harmful bacteria to your baby.

Cereals, which contain folic acid, are essential for you and your baby’s development especially in the early months, or you could take folic acid supplements. Other foods that contain the natural form of folic acid, which is known as folate, include green vegetables, brown rice, and fortified bread, in case you don’t like breakfast cereal.

If you take folic acid supplements, make sure they do not contain Vitamin A. Vitamins are also an important part of pregnancy nutrition, but Vitamin A can build up to high levels in your body and such levels are not good for your baby. 400 mcg of folic acid and 10 mcg of Vitamin D are the recommended doses per day to keep you healthy.

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