Why you need to care about your egg quality if you want to conceive

If you're trying to conceive or going through the process of IVF, you might have heard the term "egg quality" thrown around. But what does it actually mean, and why is it so important?

Egg quality refers to the health and viability of the eggs that your ovaries produce. When you ovulate, your body releases an egg that can potentially be fertilized by sperm, leading to pregnancy. However, if your eggs are of poor quality, they may not be able to be fertilised, or may result in early pregnancy loss or abnormalities.

This is where the importance of egg quality comes in. If you're trying to conceive naturally or through IVF, improving your egg quality can significantly increase your chances of success. This is because high-quality eggs are more likely to be successfully fertilised and lead to a healthy pregnancy!

Unfortunately, there's no simple test for egg quality, which means that it can be difficult to know whether your eggs are of good quality or not. However, there are some signs that your egg quality may not be in tip top shape, such as irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty getting pregnant, or a history of miscarriage.

So how can you improve your egg quality?

One of the best ways is to focus on your preconception health at least three months before you start trying for a baby. This is because it takes around three months for your body to produce an egg that is ready for ovulation.

Improving your preconception health can involve taking a serious look at your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, and nutritional status. As a Naturopath I want to know if you have any nutrient deficiencies and are your pathology testing results optimal? Or only just in range.

Of course, a diet rich in nutrients and high in antioxidants, such as folate, iron, and vitamin D. Exposure to environmental toxins is another huge consideration when trying to conceive, studies show they can wreak havoc on our reproductive health and egg and sperm quality. Toxins can include cigarette smoke, alcohol, and chemicals in cleaning products just to name a few.

Stress can also play a significant role in fertility and egg quality, so techniques to manage stress are vital. I often suggest meditation, yoga, or acupuncture to my clients.

As you can see, Improving your egg quality is a very important part of supporting your fertility and achieving a healthy pregnancy. If you're struggling to conceive, or you're going through the process of IVF, it's worth considering the role that egg quality might be playing in your journey, and exploring ways to support and improve your fertility health.

If you would like support at any point on your journey, please reach out and send me a message to see how we can work together.