15 January 2015

What is Egg Quality?

All women are born with a finite number of eggs in their body, typically a few million. There is no constant replenishment like there is with sperm. As women get closer to menopause the ovaries have a more difficult time producing eggs. Most people believe that all that matters when you are trying to get pregnant is the number of eggs you have. While the number of eggs you have does matter, the quality of those eggs is equally important. Quantity does not always equal quality!

Egg quality refers to how prepared your eggs are to develop into embryos once fertilised. To get pregnant, eggs must respond to hormones that trigger ovulation, they need to have the proper chromosomes, they need to successfully fertilise, and they must kick-start the cell divisions needed to form an embryo. Some eggs in your ovaries are not capable of this, making it impossible to achieve a successful pregnancy.

A low quality egg refers to internal defects such as problems with their chromosomes or with their energy production, which prevents the necessary embryonic cell division. This often explains the higher incidence of miscarriage and birth defects in pregnancies of older women.

Is there anything a woman can do to boost the quality of her eggs?
Unfortunately there is no scientifically tried and tested method of improving egg quality. However in our experience, certain steps can be taken to improve the health of the ovaries. Maximising egg quality is based on maximising your overall health. The most important factors include diet, environmental influences, hormonal issues and stress. Before ovulation, an egg’s cycle is around 90 days, during which time the quality of the egg can be affected by different aspects, such as nutrition, oxygenation, proper blood circulation, the balance of the hormones, the mood of the woman, and stress. Leading a healthy lifestyle, reducing stress, and keeping a healthy weight are things you can do to try and improve your fertility.

Diet: Nutrition is important and you should pay attention to what you eat. Follow a healthy and nutritive diet to keep your body healthy and energetic. Stay away from bad foods like caffeine, sugar and alcohol. Lean meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, oils, whole grains, nuts and seeds are abundant with vitamin rich nutrients. Avoid processed foods because they do not provide you with all the nutrients whole foods contain.

Drink plenty of water: Good oxygenation and blood circulation are necessary to grow healthy eggs. Adequate hydration will stimulate circulation and in turn lead to improved uterine health.

Supplements: Certain supplements are known to have a very positive effect on fertility health. The supplements we suggest are StaminoGro and Comega Vite.
Exercise: Many chronic health conditions are linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Low impact exercise can be very beneficial by encouraging blood flow, increasing nutrient absorption and restoring the blood vessels. Avoid high impact exercise which can damage cells rather than increasing their vitality.

  • Environmental Influences: Your environment can affect your health and in turn your fertility. Where possible try to:
  • Quit smoking
  • Avoid second hand smoke
  • Reduce stress
  • Eat natural foods
  • Purify your drinking water

Stress: Stress can prevent ovulation so try and relax as much as possible. Constant stress depletes the body’s resources and if the body lacks resources then egg production is likely to become inefficient.

For more information on how to improve your lifestyle visit http://www.medfem.co.za/how-can-you-prepare

 

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