How to improve your egg quality
Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. If you think about it, if a pregnant woman is carrying a girl she is not only carrying her own baby but also all the eggs that might one day become her grandchild!
Some of my clients come to me with test results showing that they have low ovarian reserve, which indicates that there are few eggs. I like to remind these women that it only takes one good quality egg – and the good news is that there’s plenty you can do to improve yours. (N.B. let’s not forget the boys, the same is true for sperm!)
The importance of egg health is why I prefer to see clients at least 3 months prior to trying to conceive, or prior to assisted fertility treatments because it takes around 90 days for an egg to mature. That’s 90 days to give yourself the best possible chance.
My top five tips? Surprisingly simple!
- A diet high in protein such as lean meat and plant proteins, with limited dairy (if tolerated) and fish.
- Plenty of fats such as oily fish (twice weekly), extra virgin olive oil, avocadoes, nuts and seeds.
- Limit refined sugar.
- Try to reduce stress – though I appreciate this is easier said than done if you’re struggling to conceive! Try to add in some stress-relieving activities into your daily routine such as baths, yoga, meditation, being in nature – or whatever works for you.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol.
- Bonus tip – absolutely no smoking!
There are also several supplements I often use in clinic to specifically target egg quality but these will differ from woman to woman as everyone’s needs are slightly different. Please do get in touch if you’d like some personalised advice on how to support your fertility.
