How to Improve Egg Quality

Fertility is largely determined by the health or quality of both sperm and eggs. This is central to the success of pregnancy, whether naturally or through assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). There are many factors that have an impact on the quality of a person’s eggs from genetics, mental health, lifestyle, age, diet, and medical history. If one does not have any issues affecting their fertility such as disease, then there are ways in which they can improve the quality of their eggs, with just a few adjustments. Let us get right into it then.

How to Improve Your Egg Quality

Apart from the health of eggs, a person’s age affects their fertility in a very direct way. Nature has it that those with a uterus have a limited reserve of eggs, which are produced for several decades in each menstrual cycle, eventually becoming depleted. At this point, even with a healthy lifestyle, it is impossible to become pregnant naturally. As well, while assisted reproductive technologies have given women a choice of becoming pregnant later in life, the treatments cannot intervene where eggs are no longer produced. The suggestions outlined below are therefore given with people who are still in their reproductive years in mind.

Stop Using Tobacco or Nicotine Based Products

Not only does the use of nicotine and tobacco products have a negative impact on a person’s overall health, it also lowers their chances of both becoming pregnant, and carrying a baby to term. This is because nicotine and tobacco reduce the quantity of eggs that a person produces, as well as the quality of eggs. Further, when a person is undergoing fertility treatments, the use of these products prevents the embryo from properly implanting itself. This significantly lowers the chances of success of the treatment by up to 50 percent. Consequently, professional healthcare providers are implored to discourage the use of tobacco and nicotine based products by prospective mothers to improve their chances of becoming pregnant.

Manage Your Stress

The impact of stress is both psychologically and physical, and when a person is trying to conceive, stress could have a negative impact on their efforts. It is natural for a potential parent to have concerns regarding their preparedness for raising a new life. However, if the concerns are not well managed, they can lead to excess anxiety and stress which can cause them to have challenges conceiving. What has been observed is that psycho-emotional stress has a negative impact on antral follicle development, which in turn affects the health of the embryos that are developed from those eggs. This then means that it is crucial to manage stress and seek professional help where need be, in order to have a healthy pregnancy.

Adopt a Diet that is Rich in Nutrients

A nutrient-rich diet is the fastest way to improve the quality of one’s eggs, whether trying to conceive naturally or through assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). When a person’s diet consists of high levels of trans saturated fats and highly processed foods, it has a negative impact on the health of the ovaries, resulting in low pregnancy rates. A diet that combines folate, starch, polyunsaturated fats and fiber is highly recommended, especially if one is relying on ARTs to become pregnant.

Include Supplements

Whereas a nutritious diet comprises all the nutrition a person would require to have healthy eggs, some times, taking supplements can improve the quality of one’s eggs. If a person had previously responded poorly to ovarian stimulation, supplements such as Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) have been observed to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, it is crucial to consult a professional healthcare provider before changing your diet or starting to take supplements. 

Exercise

Exercise is a vital part of a healthy body as well as healthy ovaries and eggs. It is recommended that one have regular exercise, particularly if they are trying to conceive. Before beginning any form of exercise, it is vital to consult a professional healthcare provider in order to determine which type of exercise is most suitable. Where as exercise is good for the body, when one is trying to conceive it could have both a positive or a negative impact. Positively, exercise improves the chances of becoming pregnant particularly if one has conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome or obesity. Negatively, excessive exercise could prevent ovulation by causing the body to produce more testosterone. 

In Summary

In order to have better chances of becoming pregnant, one needs to adopt  healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle. If you are having challenges in developing healthy habits, consult a healthcare provider for support and guidance. Making the necessary adjustments in your lifestyle will not only improve the overall quality of life, it will improve the quality of your eggs, which in turn will improve your chances of becoming pregnant.  If you have been facing challenges becoming pregnant for more than six months of trying, contact Virginia Fertility & IVF for professional and compassionate support in building your family.