‘Drugs made my ovaries swell to five times their usual size’
KAREN Roscoe-Bailey’s ovaries swelled to five times their normal size because of IVF drugs.
She was breathless and lethargic and her stomach became so bloated she appeared to be seven months pregnant.
The charity manager had to be rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered she had fluid in her lungs and abdomen.
Mrs Roscoe-Bailey, 44, from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, suffered with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome six years ago, during her second of four rounds of IVF.
She and her husband Mark, 42, an IT director, were terrified and did not feel they had been properly warned about the condition by their consultant.
Mrs Roscoe-Bailey was put on bed rest for three weeks and she had her stomach measured every day while doctors tried to drain the fluid inside her. She later discovered she was pregnant – and was delighted – but the effects of OHSS were severe.
‘My stomach never really went back to normal,’ she told the Mail. ‘By the time the fluid was gone, I was about five months pregnant and had a big baby bump.
‘I didn’t see my baby grow, or experience my pregnancy in a normal way, which is something I was not prepared for. I felt really panicked because breathing was so difficult.’
After battling OHSS, Mrs Roscoe-Bailey gave birth to her daughter Georgia in 2012. She and her husband continued with IVF treatment and had four cycles in five years, spending about £20,000. However, it was unsuccessful.
During subsequent IVF cycles, Mrs Roscoe-Bailey often felt the symptoms of OHSS were on the verge of returning – but doctors monitored her drugs to make sure she did not get it again.
After stopping treatment, they naturally conceived their second daughter, Harlie, who was born eight months ago.
Mrs Roscoe-Bailey added: ‘I educated myself on the whole IVF industry and OHSS wasn’t something I was ever told about. There should be more information so women are aware of the risks. Thankfully, we have our girls.’