You're Not Stuck with “Bad” Eggs: Here's What You Need to Know About Egg Quality

A Brief History of Your Eggs

Believe it or not, all of the eggs in your ovaries have been there since you were just a fetus developing in your mother’s womb. By the time she was about 20 weeks pregnant with you, you had 7 million eggs! Over the second half of her pregnancy, you lost a lot of those eggs, and were born with between 1 and 2 million. 

As you continued to grow, even more of those eggs dropped off, and when you hit puberty and got your first period you had somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 (the number of eggs you have is also commonly known as ovarian reserve). From there the number of eggs  continues to decline–at first slowly, and then much more rapidly as you get closer to menopause. By the time you hit that milestone, you will only have between 1,000 and 2,000 eggs remaining. 

Because your eggs have been with you since the very beginning and are not continuously being produced, they do tend to accumulate wear and tear that can contribute to fertility issues. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed if you’ve been told you have egg quality problems. More on that to come, but right now let’s look at the journey of an egg before ovulation.

The Egg Timeline

Okay, you’ve got all these eggs sitting in your ovaries, and you know that you only release one of them every month when you ovulate. Have you ever thought about what it takes to become that special egg that gets chosen? 

That process actually begins 355 days–nearly a year–before the lucky egg is finally ovulated when that egg (and many others) enter a period of activity after a lifetime of dormancy. 

In technical terms, the eggs enter the Pre-Antral Phase, as the primordial (dormant) follicles begin to develop into primary follicles, and then into secondary follicles. That process takes about 9 months, and a lot of the eggs that started the journey won’t make it to the end. 

The second stage of the egg timeline is called the Antral Phase. It lasts 85 days, or roughly 3 months, and ends with ovulation. During these three months, the secondary follicles continue growing and developing for about 50 days, until they become antral follicles. Out of all the follicles that reach this stage every month, one is the lucky winner who becomes the dominant follicle. That follicle spends between 15 and 20 days (the first half of your menstrual cycle) making final preparations for ovulation, and then it’s released and ready to meet some sperm!

Phew–that’s a lot of work–one whole year for an egg to develop, including a final 3 month push at the very end! This is important to understand as we talk about egg quality, though, because it means that any changes you make now won't be reflected in your egg quality for at least 3 months, and possibly even longer.

Egg Quality and Fertility Problems

It should not come as a surprise that egg quality is important when it comes to producing a healthy child. As a result, poor egg quality is linked to many fertility issues including:

• Difficulty conceiving both naturally and through IVF

• Recurrent miscarriages 

• Irregular periods

Clearly, improving egg quality can be a real game changer!

Egg Quality vs. Egg Quantity

If you’ve had a full fertility work-up, you’ve probably had your AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) and Day-3 FSH levels checked. Depending on where your numbers came back, you may have been told that you have low ovarian reserve–not as many eggs waiting in the wings as there should be. 

It’s really important to understand that both of these tests speak primarily to egg quantity, and not necessarily very much to egg quality. You may not have as many eggs left as you’d like, but they may all be amazing eggs with the potential to do great things (ie., successfully meet up with a sperm and make a cute baby!)  So remember not to get too hung up on your numbers.

Things You Can Do to Improve Your Egg Quality

There are many reasons why a woman might have poor egg quality, but lifestyle is a really common one. And the great news is that when it comes to your lifestyle, you’ve got a lot of control!

Here is a quick list of some things you can do that can yield really big results when it comes to your eggs:

• Manage your stress–consider relaxation tools like breathing techniques, meditation, or fertility coaching.

• Eat a healthy diet–focus on anti-inflammatory foods, and be sure to avoid foods you know upset your stomach.

• Stop smoking and cut back on alcohol–nothing more probably needs to be said here.

• Get plenty of exercise or healthy movement–you don’t even have to be at the gym for hours every day to fulfill this requirement. Plain old walking will do!

• Get enough sleep–try adding just 10 more minutes of sleep to your night and you might be surprised to notice a difference in how you feel.

• Try some supplements–this is totally optional, and not everyone’s jam. But research has shown that CoQ10, DHEA, and melatonin can be helpful for improving egg quality. Please, however, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting anything new!

Ready to Support Your Egg Quality—and Your Whole Self—in the Months Ahead?

Since egg development takes time, it’s crucial to start now with the right tools, support, and mindset.

My 3-Month Fertility Support Plan is designed to walk with you through this window with holistic guidance, coaching, and customized tools that help you feel calm, confident, and in control (all while improving egg quality!)