When it comes to fertility, there is one factor that is often overlooked despite being one of the most important factors for conceiving – egg quality. So much of what we are told is focused on the number of eggs…but what about optimizing the quality of the eggs we do have?
What is egg quality?
A quality egg is one that is genetically normal, or euploid – meaning that it has 23 chromosomes. A genetically abnormal egg, which can have extra or missing chromosomes is called aneuploid, and is less likely to result in a pregnancy that can be maintained. Genetic abnormalities in the developing embryo is the number one reason for early pregnancy loss. What’s more, babies who are born with the incorrect number of chromosomes will have congenital abnormalities such as downs syndrome.
When preparing for pregnancy, it is essential to prioritize your egg quality. Aiming for genetically normal eggs is an important foundation for egg quality, but what if we think even bigger, working to optimize our egg quality?
Human cells carry around 50,000 genes, but not all of these genes are expressed at once, with only about 10% of our genes being expressed, or “turned on,” at any given time. The process by which our behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way our genes work is called epigenetics. We cannot change our DNA, but we can actually impact which genes are expressed through diet and lifestyle. To put it another way, we can’t change the book, but we can change how it is read, by providing the proper input to support healthy gene expression, and limiting factors that drive more harmful, or inflammatory gene expression.
The study of epigenetics has demonstrated that our exposures and the ways in which we nourish ourselves affect health outcomes for our babies and even for future generations yet to come!
So while the basic definition of egg quality is as simple as having genetically normal eggs, I am an advocate for genetically optimized eggs. Nourishing yourself in a way which helps you conceive and maintain a pregnancy, while also laying the foundation for a lifetime of good health for your future child is preventive medicine at the earliest stages, and such a gift to give your family.
How to improve egg quality, at any age.
Improving egg quality is a two-step process: removing or limiting potentially harmful factors, while providing the nutrients and other positive input to support healthy DNA expression.
In general, inflammation is the main culprit responsible for damage to egg quality, wreaking havoc on the cell’s mitochondria, which provide energy to the oocyte, and impairing DNA as it divides and replicates. Inflammation can come from one’s diet, from exposure to environmental toxins, and even from emotional stress. Start by limiting exposure to sources of inflammation in the diet such as excess sugar, processed foods, and inflammatory oils like vegetable and seed oils. Following a whole foods diet and cooking most of your meals at home is a simple way to make sure you are avoiding potentially harmful ingredients.
When it comes to nourishing egg quality, it’s important to think about providing the building blocks for the development of healthy eggs, while also incorporating antioxidants, which help to mitigate any potential damage from inflammation while also providing nutrients for mitochondrial health. Prioritizing both a healthy, nutrient dense diet and targeted supplementation is important for ensuring adequate intake of the nutrients needed for robust egg quality.
Diet:
Protein: Protein provides essential amino acids that are the backbone for DNA replication. Aim for ½ your body weight in grams of protein daily. For example, if you weigh 160lb, a good goal is 80 grams of protein daily.
Fat: Healthy fats such as those found in nuts, seeds, fatty fish and avocados are the building blocks for hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are essential for regulating the process of oogenesis. They also contain compounds that are anti-inflammatory and which promote healthy blood flow, which is important for ovarian and uterine health.
Eat the rainbow: The colorful pigments in fruits and vegetables represent the various micronutrients contained within them. For example, foods with blue and purple pigments such as blueberries, purple sweet potatoes and forbidden rice are rich in a class of antioxidants called proanthocyanidins. Including a diverse variety of plant foods all across the color spectrum will help to ensure that you’re getting a variety of different micronutrients, which each play their own role in promoting healthy egg maturation.
Supplements:
A good quality prenatal vitamin combined with additional antioxidant support is all you need when it comes to supplementing for egg quality. While most women know to take a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy, it’s a good idea to take one during the months leading up to conceiving as well. The nutrients you will find in a quality prenatal supplement tend to be the same as those that support egg quality, as both fetal development and egg maturation are processes that involve a significant amount of DNA replication, which requires specific micronutrients such as folate and other B vitamins, choline, and minerals such as zinc and selenium.
WeNatal for Her: WeNatal for Her is unique in that it contains 24 essential nutrients in their most bioavailable form, and in the clinically recommended dose for supporting fetal development. It also omits any fillers, binders, and other chemicals that other brands often use but which can drive inflammation.
For even more targeted support look to the powerful antioxidants which have been shown to improve egg quality and fertility. Here are a few to pay attention to:
- N-Acetyl-L-Cystine (NAC) 800mg: NAC is the precursor to glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant made in the body. Taking NAC helps you to produce more glutathione to fight inflammation and support detoxification. It has also been shown to help promote ovulation.
- CoQ10 400mg: CoQ10 is an essential nutrient needed for mitochondrial function. Oocytes have the highest concentration of mitochondria of any cell in the body, and rely on mitochondria for energy production.
- PQQ 20mg: Powerful antioxidant that supports cellular health in the oocyte.
Because oogenesis takes 3-4 months, it is a good idea to give yourself at least 3-4 months of preconception care that prioritizes egg quality before you start trying to conceive. In my practice, I often ask my patients to take a break from trying for a few months while we do this work, which can be hard for some if they have been trying for a long time, or if they feel like they are running out of time. It’s important to remember however, that quality over quantity is what we are aiming for, and taking this time to improve your egg quality is an investment that may save you time and money in the long run, help you avoid the need for advanced fertility treatments, and set you and your baby up for better health outcomes.
