How to Improve Egg Quality

Egg quality is a term used to speak medically about the health of the eggs in a person’s ovaries.  A person’s lifestyle, mental health, genetics, diet, exercise, age and medical history, all contribute to the health of these eggs.

With a few simple changes in nutrition and lifestyle, one can improve the quality of their eggs, which can improve fertility outcomes significantly.

Age 

Age is the most significant factor affecting fertility, because naturally, as we age, our fertility declines. This affects both the quantity and the quality of eggs produced. The decline in infertility has been observed to generally begin from about age 35. 

The success of assisted reproductive technologies has made it more feasible for women above 35 years old to become pregnant. As a result, more women are choosing to become pregnant later in life.

How to Improve Your Egg Quality

We may not be able to reverse ageing or fertility, but with some adjustments in nutrition and lifestyle, the health of eggs can be improved.

Avoid Cigarettes

Cigarettes have been observed to have a negative effect on a person’s health. Additionally, smoking reduces fertility treatment success by up to 50 percent, because it infringes on the embryo’s ability to implant itself. 

Products containing nicotine also reduce the quantity and quality of eggs produced. Therefore healthcare providers are pressed upon to discourage the use of tobacco and nicotine based products by prospective mothers, in order to have more positive results.

Manage Your Stress

Stress can have a negative impact on anyone’s health, particularly when trying to become pregnant. Understandably, things such as the finances, logistics and overall responsibility of bringing a child into the world and raising it, can create stress.

However, psycho-emotional stress has been found to affect the development of antral follicles negatively, and in turn, the health of embryos grown from those eggs. 

As a result, people who want to become pregnant are urged to seek counselling, and adopt stress reduction techniques, in order to improve the chances of having a healthy pregnancy.

A Nutritious Diet

A nutritious diet is the simplest and least invasive way of improving the health of eggs and overall fertility if one is trying to become pregnant. If one is trying to become pregnant using assisted reproductive technologies, the mediterranean diet comes highly recommended.

A diet consisting of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, folate, and starch have positive results on pregnancy rates. However when a diet consists of high levels of trans saturated fats and highly processed foods, the effects on pregnancy rates and ovarian health are poor. 

Take Supplements

A healthy diet typically will provide the nutrients required by your body it may be of benefit to include supplements. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) improve pregnancy rates in women who had previously not responded well to ovarian stimulation.  Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and myo-inositol also have a positive impact on the development of embryos. However, first consult with a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet.

Exercise

Exercise, among its many benefits, has also been linked to improving chances of becoming pregnant for women with obesity or polycystic ovarian syndrome. It must however be moderated in order to prevent the body from ceasing ovulation which has been associated with intense exercise routines. In principle, exercise routines should be evaluated with guidance from a healthcare professional.

In Conclusion

Sometimes becoming pregnant can be challenging, and the assistance of a healthcare professional goes a long way in addressing this. It is possible to improve the health of your eggs and overcome challenges with infertility. The healthier your eggs, the more likely it will be that you will become pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy. 

Contact Us

If you have been unsuccessful in trying to become pregnant for more than six months, consider consulting Ivy Fertility. With our support, and a wide range of reproductive health services, we can assist you in determining the best fertility treatment for you.