As mentioned above, surgery to the ovaries—to remove a cyst or treat endometriosis—could damage the ovaries or reduce ovarian reserve. And chemotherapy and radiation, while obviously life-saving treatments for cancer and other illnesses, can destroy or damage a woman's eggs or cause premature menopause.
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.
Other than age, causes such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, some immunological disorders, obesity, chemotherapy, drug use, smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption may also lead to decreased egg quality.
Being medically well, following a good diet and lifestyle are prerequisites for fertility. Considered to be the basic checks, if you have managed to maintain good health, follow up on treatments and medications, do ample exercise and practice consistent care and hygiene, you are fertile.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. There might be no other signs or symptoms.
It is still possible for a woman with poor egg quality to get pregnant and stay pregnant. The need is to see an experienced infertility specialist who can suggest the right line of treatment. The first step in this direction is to understand all egg quality and how it influences fertility.
This can happen if the egg is defective in its number of chromosomes and does not have a complete plan for building an embryo. This results in the egg being incapable of further development. The sperm can also be the cause of a mature egg not fertilizing.
-Take a glass bowl or jar filled with water. -Then dip the egg into the water. If the egg is placed at the bottom of the glass width wise, then the egg is absolutely fresh and fit to eat. -In case the eggs are stale or a bit old, it will be placed at the bottom on one end of the glass.
An IVF cycle can be unsuccessful even with good numbers of eggs (and embryos) if egg quality is poor. Egg quality reflects about 95% of the final quality of an embryo. Poor egg quality, therefore, always leads to poor embryo quality.
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
Super fertility has been classified as a monthly fecundity (the ability to get pregnant) rate of 60% or greater. A regular menstrual cycle and high antral follicle count are signs of high fertility. Perimenopause, fibroids, and endometriosis can make conceiving and sustaining pregnancy more difficult.
What Causes Infertility? Problems with ovulation are the most common reasons for infertility in women. A woman's age, hormonal imbalances, weight, exposure to chemicals or radiation and cigarette smoking all have an impact on fertility.
Egg quality and quantity also decline in a woman's 30s and 40s. While the total number of eggs cannot be increased, research has shown that egg quality can be improved. Supplements containing Myo-inositol, folic acid and melatonin have been shown to help improve egg quality and ovarian function.
Age. Although advanced age plays a much more important role in predicting female infertility, couples in which the male partner is 40 years old or older are more likely to report difficulty conceiving. Being overweight or obese. Smoking.
About 9% of men and about 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States have experienced fertility problems. In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the man. In one-third of infertile couples, the problem can't be identified or is with both the man and woman.
The increased level of stress hormone such as cortisol reduces estradiol production possibly by affecting the granulosa cell functions within the follicle, which results deterioration in oocyte quality.
The AMH Test
The level of AMH in a woman's blood helps doctors estimate the number of follicles in her ovaries; the more follicles a woman has, the more eggs she can release, and the better her chances of pregnancy.
Because women in their late 30s and 40s have a higher percentage of abnormal eggs, it's much more likely that their one egg each month will be abnormal. That's why natural fertility declines with age, and why we see infertility, miscarriage, and genetic disorders more often with women over 35.