Improving Egg Quality & Ovarian Resposiveness

Although, in this blog I am focusing on ways to support egg quality & ovary responsive to hormone signals; I would like to emphasize that the health of the male partner & therefore his sperm quality is equally important. As I mentioned in my previous blog post titled "Am I Too Old To Have A Baby,"in men and women who are 40 & over, oxidative stress is a major consideration & antioxidants a must. To read this blog please click here.

 For instance when the sperm penetrates the egg, the egg will use it's own resources to to repair any damage & oxidative stress to the sperm first & then use what is left to repair any oxidative damage to itself. So the healthier the sperm the less demand this places on the eggs own resources.

Medical Tests That Assess Ovarian Reserve & Responsiveness

Follicle Stimulating Hormone [FSH]

This blood test should be performed on day 2 or 3 of the menstrual cycle.
It is not a particularly sensitive marker as it will only be elevated in cases where their is severe depletion.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone [AMH]

This has become knowm as the "egg timer test" & has only been available for a few years.
AMH is a protein hormone secreted by the immature cells of the ovarian follicles in response to stimulation by FSH. This blood test should be performed on day 3 of the menstrual cycle & is thought to provide an estimation of the number of early growing follicles. Low ovary reserve maybe indicated with an AMH less than 10pmol/L.

However, egg quality & ovarian responsive is more important than the number of eggs in reserve. If the ovaries response to hormone signals improves then the AMH levels will also be seen to increase.

Studies on women undergoing IVF treatment have shown that regardless of the women's age, AMH was predictive of the number of eggs retrieved but was not predictive of pregnancy rates & outcomes.

Antrial Follicle Count

This investigations the most accurate assessment of ovarian reserve.
It involves a trans vaginal ultrasound in which the mature antral follicles are counted.


Nutrients That Improve Poor Egg Quality And Ovarian Responsiveness

The nutrients I am about to mention will need to be taken for 4 months to have the effect of improving egg quality as this is the time that it takes for the egg to ripen & mature. Also, please note that there are many other nutrients & factors that effect fertility & what I am about to share here relates specifically to supporting egg quality & ovarian responsiveness or for women who are 40 & over.

Coenzyme Q10
This directly improves the energy production within the cells & so improves egg quality & longevity
For fertility you will need to take 200mg twice daily.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant & immune support. The ovaries are known to be a site of vitamin C accumulation & vitamin C aids the growth & repair of ovary follicles.
The dose is between 2-4 grams daily, ie 1 or 2 grams taken twice daily.

Vitamin E
Vitamin is another powerful antioxidant & so protects the egg from damage & also promotes hormone balance. It improves the integrity of the mucus membrane linings of the fallopian tubes & uterus lining [endometrium].
The dose is 500 i/u twice daily

Vitamin D
On the outside of the female egg there are vitamin D receptor sites & these determine what signals will be released to aid the sperm in finding the egg. Approximately 20 sperm find their way to the egg, but only one gets to penetrate the egg & vitamin D is probably the most important component in that process.

Vitamin D also aids implantation of the embryo & can normalize ovarian response to FSH.

You will need to get your vitamin D levels checked & supplement if needed, for conception & fertility you want to aim for your Vitamin D stores to be 120 mmols in winter & 150 mmols in summer.

Arginine
This is an amino acid [amino acids are the building blocks of proteins] which has been shown to be effective in improving egg quality & it is best used in poor responders to IVF treatment. It can improve the number of mature follicles, improve ovarian response, aid implantation & improve pregnancy rates.

As a supplement it is in a powder form & will need to be prescribed by a naturopath or nutritionist.

Another amino acid called Inositol has also been shown to have a similar effect as arginine, which emphasis the importance of quality protein in the diet for conception & fertility & this is why I do not recommend following a vegan or strict vegetarian diet for my fertility clients & I encourage them to at least include some fish in their diet.