Hyponatremia: an Untimely Finding in Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of several methods to assist individuals to conceive. This is a case of a young lady who presented to the emergency department with a one-day history of mild abdominal pain, vomiting, and tiredness. She had undergone uneventful IVF with an embryo transfer procedure in a specialized center three days earlier. The initial clinical examination was unremarkable, but laboratory investigations showed low serum sodium and albumin levels with relatively high leucocyte count. Considering the recent history of IVF coupled with the deranged laboratory results, the patient was admitted to the hospital for further assessment and evaluation. On the second day, the patient developed severe abdominal pain and distension and she became more distressed. A diagnosis of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was established and the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) as her condition deteriorated thereafter. Twelve days later, the patient was discharged from the hospital after a full recovery.