Omega-3s may help the overall egg quality in women trying to conceive. You can find Omega-3s in seafoods, or you can try fish oil pills. If you are getting your Omega-3s via a supplement, you will want to look for DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), as that is the most bioavailable (easier for your body to absorb and use).
Anti-inflammatory diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, are proven to be helpful for improving fertility. Additionally, an antioxidant supplement, such as CoQ10, can help women going through reproductive aging, a natural process that leads to a decrease in both the number and quality of eggs within the ovaries.
Egg quality and egg production can be affected by stress hormones such as prolactin and cortisol. Engaging in meaningful activities such as spending time with family and friends can boost your overall health. Meditation, yoga, or spending time with pets are also activities that reduce stress.
How long does it take to improve egg quality? Eggs take 3 – 4 months to mature, but even a month of supplements, acupuncture, diet, and lifestyle can improve egg quality, especially when you are preparing for an IVF cycle. Of course, the more time you have, the more your eggs will benefit.
Levels of CoQ10 decrease as you age. Taking CoQ10 supplements can increase blood and tissue CoQ10 levels. CoQ10 supplementation has been shown to improve egg quality, sperm quality, and pregnancy rates.
Studies find that taking CoQ10 for at least one month can be supportive for improving your egg quality. Because of how your eggs develop in your body, giving yourself three months to focus on egg quality is optimal. Although it is possible to support your egg quality in just 30 days.
There is no established set dose for CoQ10. Recommended doses range from 100 to 600 mg per day for fertility. Taking smaller 100-200 mg doses throughout the day rather than one large dose is recommended for the best absorption.
Supplements containing Myo-inositol, folic acid and melatonin have been shown to help improve egg quality and ovarian function.
Although female fertility declines with advancing age, it is difficult to predict the overall rate of reproductive decline. The quality of a woman's eggs is highest in her mid 20s through her early 30s, representing the most fertile period in her life.
The main cause of poor egg quality is age, but it is not the only one; there can be other reasons too, including but not limited to pelvic radiation, ovarian surgery, any reproductive illness, genetic abnormalities, chemotherapy, excess consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and some unknown factors.
Egg quality cannot be fixed after you ovulate. Instead, you need to prevent the DNA damage. This isn't a 'quick fix' but rather a way to improve the follicle cells before they develop into the final egg cell for ovulation.
Irregular period cycle and difficulty conceiving
If you are facing issues conceiving and have not been able to conceive for a while now, it could be one of the signs of bad egg quality.
Although age is the main factor affecting egg quality, some diseases, medications, genetic and environmental factors may also cause lower egg quality. Endometriosis, commonly known as chocolate cyst, is among the causes of egg poor quality.
Even with all the understandable talk of “windows of opportunity” and “biological clocks,” there are ways for women over 35 to make motherhood a reality. Infertility treatments can be difficult and expensive, but fertility specialists can talk with you about options. Age is less of a limitation than it used to be.
If you are over 35 you are also more likely to have your baby early. And it's sadly more common for older mums to have a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. The chance of having a miscarriage rises from one in 10 for mums under 30, to one in five for mums aged 35 to 39 and one in two for mums in their mid-40s.
If you don't drink enough water, you won't have enough mucus to let the sperm swim towards the egg and fertilize it. Similarly, egg health also depends on our hydration status. If you are dehydrated your egg will not have a watery environment needed to ovulate.
Treatment Options for Women with Poor Egg Quality
Once a woman is diagnosed with poor egg quality, they have various treatment options open to them. The fertility specialist will start by prescribing fertility drugs to improve egg quality so that the woman may conceive.
Well, some research indicates that women who take folic acid supplements before IVF treatment have been found to have a higher proportion of mature eggs as well as eggs of higher-quality.
Mild side effects might include digestive problems such as: Upper abdominal pain. Loss of appetite.
Some studies have proposed that Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation may increase AMH levels in women with age-related fertility decline. Others suggest that CoQ10 dramatically can lower AMH in PCOS patients after receiving CoQ10 treatment. Resources: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics.
On the other hand, it's recommended to not take CoQ10 if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation because it may decrease the effectiveness of the treatments. Some research suggests that CoQ10 might reduce blood pressure, which could possibly enhance the effectiveness of certain blood pressure medications.