Megan McKenna Details Health Struggle During IVF Journey

Reality television personality Megan McKenna has shared details of a rare health condition she experienced during her fertility journey.

McKenna, 33, revealed on the Happy Place podcast with Fearne Cotton that she was diagnosed with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) while undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. OHSS is a condition that can arise from an overreaction to fertility drugs used in treatments.

The former The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) star and her husband, footballer Oliver Burke, 29, faced challenges conceiving their son, Landon, who recently turned two.

McKenna explained that after attempting to conceive naturally and being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a teenager, she decided to explore freezing her embryos. She noted a feeling that "something just felt off" and sought medical advice.

Doctors informed McKenna that her womb lining was too thin for an embryo to implant, leading her to undertake months of medication and injections. It was during this period that she developed OHSS.

"I was hospitalised. My ovaries were like so overgrown," McKenna stated. "Obviously, they can rupture and I had fluid in my tummy and it was just an extra thing that I didn't need to fall pregnant. It was stressful."

She described the condition as "awful," likening it to being pregnant with "nothing in there," and it delayed her fertility treatment process. In severe cases, OHSS can lead to rapid weight gain, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, shortness of breath, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen or chest. While McKenna's symptoms were severe enough for hospitalization, she ultimately had two high-graded embryos survive the thawing process, leading to a successful pregnancy.

McKenna also mentioned a previous instance where she was hospitalized with OHSS just days after her UK home was robbed, noting the significant stress she was under.

She explained that she continued with therapy and pregnancy acupuncture to prepare her body for the injections, determined to proceed with the IVF process despite her illness. McKenna reflected that perhaps her illness "happened for a reason" as it delayed her pregnancy, allowing her to feel more prepared when it eventually occurred.

McKenna and Burke, who began dating in 2023, divide their time between the UK and Germany. Burke previously played for Werder Bremen before signing with Union Berlin.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurs when women undergoing fertility treatments, particularly those using injectable hormones to stimulate egg development, experience an overreaction. This can cause ovaries to become swollen and painful. While mild cases may resolve within a week, severe cases can be serious and require medical intervention. The exact cause is unknown but is thought to be related to the hormone hCG, which triggers egg release.