Improving egg quality
Egg quality is one of the key factors in supporting a woman’s fertility. Poor quality eggs are less likely to fertilise as may essentially ‘dissolve’ when fertilised. Poor quality also means the precious DNA contained within them, is not good quality which can affect fertilisation and implantation leading to infertility or chromosomal abnormalities, which is the most common cause of miscarriage.
Why might my eggs not be of good quality?
Age
Unfortunately, just as we see our outward physical appearance change, so do our eggs. One of the reasons for egg quality decline with age is due to the mitochondria. The mitochondria are the power house of the cell, and produce energy within the egg cell to be used for cell replication once fertilised. As we age, the number and function of mitochondria decreases, causing the egg cell to burn out, which could prevent fertilisation, implantation or embryo development once implanted which leads to early miscarriage. To further complicate this, an egg cell also uses it mitochondria to ‘clean up’ a sperm cell that has fertilised the egg, so the poorer the sperm cell health the higher the mitochondria work is. So if you are over 38 years and also with an older male partner or man that has sperm health you will need even more mitochondria in your egg cell to achieve pregnancy.
Oxidative stress
This is due to free radical damage, which can also damage the mitochondria within the cell harming the egg quality. Oxidative stress is caused by a number of things including insulin resistance, often caused by intake of sugary and refined carbohydrate foods. Other drivers are:
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Air pollution (living in cities, driving on busy roads with the window down
- Radiation
- Certain medications such as acetaminophen (Panadol), non-steroidal anti inflammatories (NSAIDS), some antibiotics, statins and recreational drugs.
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Chemicals in your own personal care and house cleaning products.
Inflammation
Inflammation can be helpful in an acute state to prevent the function of a damage body part and to aid repair, however chronic inflammation causes a decline in egg quality. Inflammation can be caused by insulin resistance, digestive issues, poor dietary choices of refined sugar and carbohydrates and trans fat and vegetable oil foods. Inflammation is involved in reproductive conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis and fibroids along with auto immune diseases, which means if you have one of those conditions, chances are your egg quality is compromised.
Nutrient deficiencies
Can cause poor egg quality, by not providing the nutrients required for the mitochondria to function as well as DNA replication and the actual structure of the egg. Mitochondria require good levels of proteins, B Vitamins and CoQ10 to function as well as the structure of the egg cell bring made of a fatty layer which makes essential fatty acids such as Omega 3s crucial for egg quality, Other important nutrients to note are B12, folate, vitamin D and zinc.
How do you know what the quality of your eggs is like?
Unfortunately, at this stage, we don’t have any great markers for this. Unlike with men, where we can easily assess a semen sample to assess sperm quality, eggs are only retrieved for fertility in the IVF process and even then we can’t tell the quality until they go on to fertilisation and embryo quality can be assessed. Blood test markers are in the pipeline but for now I like to assess these blood tests to give some idea as to egg quality:
- CRP: assess general inflammation
- Fasting glucose and Insulin: assess blood sugars and insulin resistance
- Nutrients: folate, B12, vitamin D, zinc and full blood count: assess nutrients deficiencies affecting egg quality
- Homocysteine: assess inflammation and folate and B12 levels
- 7-day post ovulation oestrogen and progesterone: low progesterone and oestrogen levels cane be
What can I do about it?
- Improve your diet: avoid all refined carbohydrate foods and sugary foods such as soft drinks, cakes, lollies along with processed foods containing trans fats and vegetable oils. Up your intake of antioxidant rich foods by eating a rainbow of vegetables on your plate along with good quality protein from organic meat, legumes, eggs, and fatty fish such as sardines and NZ salmon.
- Lower your exposure to chemicals by quitting smoking and lowering alcohol, filtering your air if you live in a polluted city and avoiding the use of chemicals in and around your home and body.
- Exercise: exercise supports the mitochondria function, particularly moderate, regular exercise such as fast walking, jogging, and pilates
- Address underlying causes of inflammation such as your chronic digestive issues, insulin resistance, obesity and auto immune condition.
- Eliminate unnecessary other counter medications, address the cause of your symptoms and speak to your GP about changing prescribed medications that may be harming the mitochondria.
- Get your nutrient levels assessed and supplement as needed
- Take CoQ10. CoQ10 is the powerhouse nutrients for the mitochondria and also depletes as we age. Ubiquinol is the preferred from of CoQ10 as its in its active state.
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