Skip to main content

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Meaning

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is an iatrogenic, potentially serious complication resulting from an excessive, adverse response to ovarian stimulation, typically encountered during fertility treatments involving exogenous gonadotropins or other ovulation-inducing agents. The syndrome is clinically characterized by massively enlarged ovaries, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites), and in severe cases, dangerous hemoconcentration and thromboembolic events. It represents an acute, systemic inflammatory and vascular reaction to pharmacological endocrine manipulation.