You have already heard the line: you were born with all the eggs you will never have, and as birthdays accumulate, the hiding place is regularly shrinking. In 35 years, the decline accelerates, and the worrying “biological clock” concern becomes stronger. But fertility It is not only a question of quantity – it is also the quality. Which raises the obvious question (and often whispered): is there anything you really can do to improve the quality of your egg?
Here is the short answer: in a way. But first, a little context.
An important part of the quality of eggs, like quantity, comes down to age. As we get older, “not only do we lose eggs, but those we keep are more likely to accumulate DNA changes,” said Dr. Anate Brauer, a reproductive endocrinologist certified at the Commission at RMA in New York SELF. This can cause eggs with the bad number of chromosomes, which makes them less likely to fertilize, implant or translate into a healthy pregnancy. Conditions like endometriosis Or the SOPK, as well as treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, can add down. Certain lifestyle factors, especially those who put the body under chronic stress, can also contribute, notes Dr. Brauer (we will enter it in a moment).
Beyond the integrity of DNA, the other characteristics of the eggs also count – its shape, for example, or to what extent its internal machines work. The mitochondria, the energy centers of eggs, are particularly crucial, because the process of becoming human is, clearly, a company with a high intensity of energy. And there again, things like age, health and lifestyle can influence the way these mitochondria behave.
Now for capture: there is no clear test for the quality of the eggs. AMH and FSH levels offer your amount of eggs, not quality. “We do not know if there is a quality problem unless you extract the eggs and inspect them under a microscope, as in IVF“Explains Dr. Brooke Rossi, a reproductive endocrinologist of the Medicine Ohio Reproductive. However, because the quality of eggs plays a central role in fertility, it may be useful to support it if possible – except that because, in a sea of uncontrollable factors, it could offer a minimum of agency.
Let’s talk about what could (and might not) help.
What can harm the quality of eggs?
Let’s start with the usual suspects. Smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol, jumping outUsing recreational drugs and consuming excessive sugar – all these habits can generate oxidative stress. It is then that damaged (free radical) molecules are more numerous than antioxidants intended to neutralize them. Over time, this imbalance can compromise cellular health, including DNA and the mitochondrial function of your eggs. Cue potential fertilization hiccups, implantation failures and higher layer risk.