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Irish Woman Dies as a Result of In Vitro Fertilization Treatment

DUBLIN, May 7, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An Irish woman has died from complications arising from her in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Jacqueline Rushton, a 32 year-old Dublin woman, died in January as the result of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome arising as a complication of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which arose during IVF treatment at the HARI (Human Assisted Reproduction Ireland) unit of Dublin's Rotunda Hospital in December. Following an inquest, Rushton's death was ruled "medical misadventure" early this week.

Rushton isn't the first casualty of IVF -- the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported a death from intra-cranial hemorrhage (a type of stroke) in a woman following IVF-induced OHSS, in 1996. A Medline search revealed that a death also occurred in New Zealand in 1995 resulting from an OHSS-triggered blood clot to the brain. Two cases of non-fatal stroke were also reported, with both women left with paralysis, following IVF treatment. Two heart attacks are reported in the literature, as were 20 cases of thrombosis (a life-threatening blood clot) of the internal jugular vein in the Medline search results. The formation of blood clots is a major cause of strokes and heart attacks. One such blood clot resulted in the necessary amputation of a woman's forearm.

The Medline search also revealed that IVF results in a higher rate of miscarriage than regular pregnancies, at eight percent of established pregnancies, and that "ectopic pregnancies are regular occurrences." Risk of premature births are also much greater, especially for multiple babies.

Fifteen case reports of ascites, a dangerous retention of fluid within the abdomen, were reported. In most cases, several liters of fluid had to be drained surgically. Fluid retention was also reportedly the reason why one woman went into shock, a second developed pleurisy, an acute inflammation of the lung, and three others had potentially fatal hydrothorax, or water on the lung.

Two cases of liver failure resulting from IVF treatments were detailed. Adult respiratory distress syndrome was also reported.

A study from France revealed a significantly increased trend for women undergoing IVF to require hospitalization for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

An Israeli study warned that IVF caused "Increased rates of perinatal mortality [death of baby] and morbidity result from prematurity, and higher rates of maternal diseases in pregnancy (preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, bleeding, anemia) contribute to fetal intra-uterine growth restriction and maternal morbidity [death of mother]."

Read local coverage, at: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2004/0427/860245582HM3INQUEST.html

Also read the CDC report of the IVF death at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00052611.htm

To perform a Medline search, go to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=Display&DB=pubmed

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