How to improve egg quality before IVF: vitamins, doctors' recommendations

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The process of preparation for in vitro fertilization is distinguished by its duration. While the doctor performs all important diagnostic procedures and collects tests, the woman has enough time to prepare her body well for the procedure. The success of IVF will largely depend on the quality of female eggs. How to improve egg quality before IVF? It is important to remember that such a question should concern not only women planning to conceive using reproductive technology, but also those who are going to get pregnant naturally.

What affects eggs negatively?

Throughout a woman's life, the number and quality of eggs change greatly. If it is rather difficult to change their number, and the older the woman is, the faster the number of such cells decreases, then various negative factors can affect the quality. The most common reasons for poor egg quality include:

• bad habits: smoking and drinking too muchliquor;
• incorrect diet, lack of vitamins and nutrients obtained from food;
• poor rest, inadequate sleep;
• start of menopause;
• overweight.

A woman's age is considered an important factor that affects the number of eggs, as well as their quality. After 40 years, he althy eggs in a woman's body make up only 15-20 percent. With this condition, the risk that a child with an abnormal number of chromosomes will be born is significantly increased. It is also important to remember that with age, the ability to conceive a baby by a natural method decreases significantly, since after 35 years the number of eggs begins to fall rapidly. It is important to determine how to improve egg quality before IVF.

Oocyte life cycle

A woman's eggs are unique cells. They are considered the largest in the body. They begin to actively develop and be produced in the ovaries of the girl. Precursor cells of the egg develop during the formation of the fetus in the womb. At birth, a girl's ovaries can already count from 400 to 500 first-order oocytes - this is her vital supply of eggs.

During the onset of puberty, a girl's primary oocytes are actively formed, laid down at the time of birth, and with each subsequent month one of the follicles bursts to release an egg ready for fertilization into the fallopian tube. Suchthe process is controlled by hormones that prevent the release of too many eggs so that the ovarian reserve does not dry up prematurely.

This is exactly how menstrual cycles go. With each of them, a woman loses one (in some cases even two) eggs. The ovarian reserve decreases throughout life, and the quality of the remaining female cells becomes much worse with age. Part of the oocytes in the ovaries is negatively affected, the rest leaves the body during menstruation along with the blood.

It will not be possible to stop the process of deterioration in the quality and destruction of the structure of eggs with age - such a process is considered natural.

But it should be remembered that the quality of such cells can be greatly worsened by the ecological situation in the place of residence, the amount of vitamins and nutrients received regularly with food, the presence of bad habits, as well as various chronic diseases and cases of acute respiratory viral infections and flu.

Negative factors affecting the state of oocytes can be much greater if a woman is constantly experiencing emotional upheaval, is in a nervous state, works at night, sleeps poorly, has an irregular sex life, or if she has recently undergone surgery under general anesthesia.

The aging process

What determines egg quality? Problems with the state of female cells manifest themselves already after the age of 34 years. This applies not only to women who smoke anddrinking too much alcohol. Even women with no bad habits and leading a he althy lifestyle are subject to this condition - the process of egg aging. The whole thing in this case will be in hormones. Regular exposure to the suppression of the activity of dominant follicles significantly impairs their activity over time.

Also, aging occurs on the X chromosome. It is for this reason that with age, a woman only increases the risk of giving birth to a child with some deviations in genetics. This risk increases in proportion to age. It becomes highest when a woman is already 40 years old.

Completely he althy eggs are present only in the body of a newly born girl. By the age of ten, only 70 percent of first-order oocytes remain in her body, which, under favorable circumstances, can turn into he althy full-fledged eggs. In a girl over the age of 20, only 37 percent of the eggs from the initial number exist in stock. In women aged 30 years, no more than 12 percent. At 35, doctors detect only 7 percent of completely he althy eggs. At 45, they are no more than 1-2 percent.

Preparing for IVF

How to improve egg quality before IVF? At any stage of IVF, egg quality is considered very important. At the initial stage of the procedure, the woman's ovaries are stimulated with special hormonal preparations. They are important for obtaining a large number of eggs: the more eggs the embryologist has, the higher the chance that the procedureartificial insemination will be successful and that after replanting into the uterine cavity, the embryo will quickly take root and begin its active development.

When taking drugs that improve the quality of the egg, the ovaries should give a normal response: several follicles should grow correctly and at an accelerated pace. They are monitored by ultrasound, and they also conduct a blood test for luteinizing hormone. It is important not only that a large number of dominant follicles be produced in a woman's body, but that each oocyte maturing inside it has sufficient weight.

Immediately after three or more follicles grow to the desired size (from 16 to 22 millimeters), hCG is injected, which helps to achieve accelerated maturation of oocytes. If such a drug is administered too early, this can lead to the production of insufficiently mature eggs, which may not be fertilized or cause serious diseases and genetic abnormalities to develop in the injected embryo. After an injection of the hCG preparation, it takes about 36 hours before the follicle puncture.

Treating specialists perform the procedure under anesthesia. The follicle is pierced with a thin hollow instrument-needle and by means of aspiration fluid is drawn out of it together with oocytes. Often, especially in older women, there is no egg in large and fully mature follicles, the follicle itself changes to the form of a cyst under the influence of a hormonal drug.

What tests are given?

What tests are takenbefore IVF? Such as:

• hormone tests;
• testing for infections;
• examination by a therapist;
• examination by a mammologist and breast ultrasound;
• hysteroscopy;
• Cytological examination of the taken smear.

Checking the quality of oocytes

How to check egg quality? Embryologists carefully evaluate the oocytes obtained from the follicles. They place the resulting cells in a nutrient medium for a couple of hours, after which they determine the thickness of the membranes, the shape of the egg and the quality of the intracellular structures. Good oocytes help produce quality embryos.

If the membranes are too dense and differ from normal values, then the specialist may prescribe the ICSI method. With it, individual spermatozoa of the spouse are introduced with microinstruments using a manipulator into the shell of the egg itself.

A full-fledged egg, of normal structure and quality, will become a good basis for a he althy embryo, which, after a few days of cultivation, will be transferred to the uterine cavity. After the procedure, a woman only needs to wait until the embryo reaches the endometrium of the uterus, consolidates and takes root in it. It is after this that a full pregnancy will come.

Donor egg

If the quality of the extracted oocytes from a woman's egg is considered by embryologists to be poor and unsuitable for conception, then the use of a donor egg is suggested. In this case, only completely he althy young women who have passed all diagnostic tests (including tests for problems withgenetics). The issue of using a donor egg for many women is quite difficult both morally and emotionally, not everyone decides to use this technique.

While preparing for the protocol, there is not a single minute to lose. Despite the age processes, a woman should do everything in her power to improve the condition of her germ cells and their functioning before IVF.

Methods for improving the condition of a woman's biomaterial

How to improve egg quality for pregnancy? There is no universal drug or doctor's recommendation in this case. The procedure for improving the quality of a woman's biological material is a long and gradual process that takes place in several stages. He needs a serious attitude and a comprehensive approach.

What to do before IVF? Individual advice to a woman, taking into account her age and the cause of infertility, can only be given by a doctor. But there are some general rules that every woman should follow when preparing for IVF.

Lifestyle changes

How to improve egg quality before IVF? It is important to remember that nicotine and alcohol lead to deformation of the structures of the organelles of female germ cells. If a woman smoked before IVF, then in order to completely cleanse the body and normalize the condition of the oocytes, the woman will have to completely abandon nicotine. In most cases, 3-4 months is enough for most systems in the body to return to normal. The reproductive system is no exception in this case.

How to improve the quality of eggs on the recommendation of doctors? Another factor that can significantly affect the state of biological material is excess weight. It is this question that a woman planning IVF should consider. Excessive body weight, just like its lack, adversely affects the state of the hormonal background. Not only the quality of the eggs deteriorates, but also the functioning of the ovary. During the stimulation of hCG drugs, complications are often noted. After the transfer of the embryo, excessive weight significantly reduces the chance of a full implantation. Even if such a process goes well, problems with being overweight can lead to serious complications in the process of gestation itself and at the time of labor.

Scientists have found that losing weight after just a few months helps improve fertility and egg quality. The reaction of the ovaries to hormonal stimulation in the IVF protocol is favorable, the doctor receives the correct results. The risk of strong ovarian stimulation is minimal.

What vitamins should I take?

Biological additives, for example, Inositol and Ovariamin, will help restore the menstrual cycle and the functioning of germ cells. Before using them, it is important to consult a doctor without fail. Most often, these drugs are designed for long-term use, so you should not expect a quick effect from their use.

MoreOne important factor for egg quality is vitamins. Vitamin can restore the thickness and other important characteristics of cell membranes. Folic acid restores the he alth of the X chromosome and helps reduce the risk of genetic disorders in the developing embryo. In addition, it is important for a woman to regularly use the following vitamins before IVF: from group B, A, D. Minerals are also important: magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium.

Before using any vitamin complex for egg quality, it is important to consult your doctor first. According to a clinical blood test, the doctor will be able to accurately determine which vitamins or minerals are lacking in the body, and then he will help you choose a remedy in which the component that is currently in short supply in the woman's body will prevail.

Replenishing the body with minerals and vitamins helps restore menstruation, resulting in improved quality of oocytes produced by the ovaries.

Special attention should be paid to traditional medicine. Decoctions of sage and boron uterus will help restore the state of the biomaterial of a woman. Before using them, it is important to consult a doctor, as such herbs also have some contraindications.

Omega 3 intake

Why do women take Omega 3? Fish oil has the following effect:

• protects against breast cancer;
• helps restore the functioning of the genitourinary system;
• prevents blood clots, fatty acids containedin fish oil, cleanse the vessels of plaques and restore the functioning of the circulatory system;
• eliminates the feeling of fatigue, normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, fights depression;
• during pregnancy, such a remedy is considered especially important, as it ensures the correct formation of the fetal muscle mass, its nervous system, and also strengthens the immune system;
• helps improve brain function, focus.

Admission rules

Why do women take Omega 3? Omega 3 is an important component in maintaining the he alth and condition of a woman's systems. Before using fish oil, it is important to consult a doctor. This is especially true for women who are about to become pregnant through IVF. The dosage of the drug will help you choose the attending specialist, as it can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer.