Does ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome affect the quality of oocytes?

Two wives of a Muslim with severe male factor infertility had simultaneous intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments. One wife developed ovar ian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), and 19 of 27 oocytes retrieved were s ubjected to ICSI but only one fertilized; the other wife had a normal respo nse to ovarian stimulation, normal fertilization following ICSI, successful treatment and has recently delivered a live-born infant. The wife who suff ered from OHSS has since had another ICSI cycle with a normal response to o varian stimulation, a normal fertilization rate but no pregnancy. The only variable that determined the different rate of fertilization in the simulta neous ICSI cycles appears to be oocyte quality. While the results of frozen embryo replacement cycles following the decision to freeze all embryos fol lowing OHSS is generally satisfactory, it is important to counsel couples a bout the possible detrimental effects of OHSS on oocyte quality.