Egg quality can be a huge determinant in the success of your conception, or IVF journey. And there is no test for egg quality!! In clinic, when we treat egg quality in preparation for egg collections during IVF - the results can be really astounding.
Supplements
More eggs collected with an increase in fertilisation and final embryo count. We use a number of evidence-based supplements for this but the main one is..
CoQ10 (ubiquinol)
CoQ10 is an antioxidant that naturally occurs within the body. In the research, CoQ10 deficiency is directly associated with poor quality and aged eggs. This is because it is essential for energy production and is a potent antioxidant degradation. As we age we make less CoQ10, which directly impacts our egg quality. The evidence has spoken and agrees: CoQ10 can increase both egg quality AND follicle count!
We recommend taking 600mg of CoQ10 daily – and we recommend this product.
Diet and lifestyle considerations
The quality of your eggs comes down to your lifestyle, diet, stress levels, and levels of toxicity in the body. This may be a shock to some, but sugar is one of the worst things you can be putting into your body if you are trying for a baby. It's a big long science explanation, but I am going to compress the information here. Studies show that..
- Sugar increases insulin, which increases androgens, cysts on ovaries, FSH levels, and limits ovulation (as seen in PCOS)
- Sugar lowers egg quality and prevents eggs from maturing completely
- Embryo quality is significantly less when the mother has moderate amounts of sugar in her diet
- With a moderate intake of sugar, this changes the way placental cells attach to the uterus, increasing the risk of non-attachment or early miscarriage.
- Sugar intake increases cortisol - which your body perceives as stress!
Other considerations for egg quality include...
- Obesity / underweight
- Physical inactivity
- Chronic disease
- Exposure to pesticides
- Solvents and heavy metals
- Smoking
Egg quality work begins 3 months before starting to conceive or IVF begins, as this is when the egg is developing. I tell my clients, act like you are pregnant within this small window as small lifestyle changes like no alcohol, minimising stress, good amount of sleep - can make a big difference on the egg that is developing.
If you think egg quality could be a concern for you, then our team is here to help. You can book in with one of our Naturopaths here.
