factors affecting egg quality, symptoms of poor egg quality, and some common causes of low egg quality.
Dec 2024 Author
IVF

Poor Egg Quality Symptoms: How to Recognize Them Early

When it comes to reproduction in humans, there are two key aspects one needs to consider: the quality of eggs and the quality of sperm. The only issue here is that males can produce a near-unlimited number of sperm since they are generated by the body continuously and don't really have a limit, given adequate nutrition and rest. So even if a few of them get damaged, there are still plenty of sperms to go around. However, this is not the case for eggs, as females are born with a predetermined number of eggs, and even if one is of poor quality, it is one egg too many. So, poor egg quality is a bit more of a serious issue than poor sperm quality. But how do you know that the quality of eggs within you is poor? Well, worry not, for this is exactly what we are here to answer. 

In this blog, we provide you with details regarding what poor egg quality is, some of the factors affecting egg quality, symptoms of poor egg quality, and some common causes of low egg quality. Along with this, we also provide you with information regarding ways to improve low egg quality and more. So, keeping this in mind, let's get started! 

What Is Poor Egg Quality?

Poor Egg Quality Symptoms Poor Egg Quality Symptoms: How to Recognize Them Early 

Before we discuss anything, let's understand what poor egg quality is first. So, what exactly is poor egg quality? Well, in simple words, poor egg quality is the condition of the egg, which has lost its ability to be fertilized and develop into a proper embryo. Now, there are several aspects of poor egg quality, such as genetic defects in the egg and abnormal egg membranes. But regardless of which of these qualities the egg has, all of these can be categorized as poor egg quality. Now they can be caused by many factors such as birth defects, hormonal abnormalities, infertility issues, and genetic defects. The sad part about this is that age also plays a crucial part in the quality of eggs, and the more a woman ages, the lower their egg quality. So, in a way, you cannot really avoid having poor egg quality as you age. 

However, there is a silver lining to this dark cloud, as you can prevent and treat poor egg quality to some extent. 

Factors Affecting Egg Quality

Now that you know what poor egg quality is, what about the factors which affect the quality of the eggs? Well there are many factors which contribute to the overall egg quality. Some of the key ones include: 

1. Age

Age is one of the leading factors contributing to poor egg quality. The more one ages, the lower the quality of the egg becomes. While the quality of eggs remains fine till you reach 35, they start to decline rapidly after this period. That said, this is a general estimation, and the specifics depend on you and your health.

2. Environmental Factors

Another key factor affecting the quality of eggs is the environment in which you reside or are exposed. If you live in a toxic environment and are frequently exposed to toxins such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, your egg quality will ultimately decline rapidly. But if you are not exposed to said chemicals, they remain healthy for a longer duration. 

3. Lifestyle

While you may not be able to control your age and environment, what you can control is your lifestyle. You should be aware that depending on how you live your life, your eggs can remain healthy for a longer duration or not. For instance, if your lifestyle includes overindulgence of substances such as alcohol, caffeine, and other forms of drugs, it can decrease your egg quality. Additionally, if you do little to no exercise, it too can harm your eggs. But if you live a healthy lifestyle instead, your egg quality can improve and remain healthier for a longer period. 

4. Genetic Disorders

Unlike lifestyle, you cannot really control your genetic disorders. When an egg is produced, it may contain genetic disorders caused by random and unexpected mutations. In this case, the best you can do is take a PGT before using any form of infertility treatment. 

5. Health Conditions

Unlike previous factors which you either can or cannot control, health condition is a mix of both as you can avoid some health conditions while you can just accept some. If you are unhealthy or have conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, and autoimmune disorders, your egg quality can drastically decrease. 

Naturally, the ones we mentioned here are just some of the key factors that affect your egg quality. Besides the ones we mentioned here, there are several other factors that contribute to the overall quality of your eggs. Regardless, we hope you found this helpful. 

Symptoms of Poor Egg Quality

Now that you know about the poor egg quality and the factors affecting the egg quality, let's now talk about the core topic of our blog; poor egg quality symptoms. The thing here is that the specific symptoms of poor egg quality depend on your individual health condition and other factors. However, there are a few common poor egg quality symptoms. Some of these key poor egg quality symptoms include: 

1. Irregular Periods

One of the most common symptoms of poor egg quality is if you have irregular periods. Your periods may be longer or shorter than the estimated time. Either this or you may even experience heavy or very light bleeding. On the other hand, depending on the severity of your circumstances, you may even miss a few of your periods. While irregular periods are not always a sign of poor quality eggs, it is a major sign and is still a major matter of concern. So if you are facing irregular periods, you should go and seek the aid of an expert immediately. 

2. Repeated Miscarriages

Besides not having regular periods, what can be a bigger sign of poor egg quality other than having multiple miscarriages? If you are not using any form of infertility treatment and have a history of multiple miscarriages, it is a good sign that your eggs are of poor quality. Why? It is because poor quality eggs often are not well fertilized, resulting in an embryo with defects, ultimately resulting in miscarriage. As with our previous entry, while miscarriage is not always a poor egg quality symptom, it is a major one and a definite symptom of poor reproductive health in either you or your partner. Regardless of the reason, it is a major cause to seek the aid of an expert. 

3. Low FSH Reserves

Besides monitoring your body and hormones, you should also be wary of your hormones, especially follicular stimulating hormone, more commonly known as FSH. It is a hormone that aids the ovaries in producing mature eggs every month. If the reserves of FSH are low, it signifies that your body is not producing good-quality eggs, and the ovaries become resistant to these hormones. As a result, more FSH is needed to stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs, which could signal a decline in egg quality and quantity.

4. Low Estradiol Levels

Estradiol is another hormone that plays a key role in egg maturation, release, and thickening of the uterine lining, which aids in pregnancy. If your estradiol levels are low, it signifies that your egg is of poor quality and your fertilization process is not going smoothly. While it can also mean that there are issues with your uterine lining, it is still a major concern. So when checking for hormones, if you notice a low level of estradiol hormones, then you should get checked up. 

5. Low AMH

Following Estradiol, we have another hormone level on this list. Anti-Müllerian hormone, or AMH for short, helps you to determine the number of eggs in the ovaries. High levels of this hormone mean that you have more eggs, while low levels of AMH mean that you have a low number of eggs. Now, do note that the number of eggs is not equivalent to their quality - however, they do mean that you have equally fewer chances of finding a good quality egg. 

6. Low Follicle Count on Ultrasound

Low follicle count on ultrasound works a lot, like how low levels of AMH signify that you have poor quality eggs as it is not direct. Low follicle count signifies that you have a lower number of eggs, and similar to how it worked in our previous entry, a lower number of available eggs means an increased chance of finding a poor-quality egg. 

7. Chromosomal Disorders

Last but not least, we have chromosomal disorders.  This is a simple one: if your baby develops issues such as Down syndrome, then you can be sure that you have low-quality eggs. If you don’t want to wait till the baby is born to be sure, you can take preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) or other forms of genetic testing to check for any abnormalities within your eggs. If the tests do show that your eggs contain genetic disorders, then you can be sure that they are of low quality. 

These are just some of the key symptoms of poor egg quality symptoms. Besides the ones we mentioned here, there can be several other symptoms depending on the specifics of your health.

Common Causes of Low Egg Quality

Common Causes of Low Egg Quality

Now that you have a decent idea regarding the symptoms of poor egg quality along with some of the low egg quality symptoms, let's look at some of the most common causes of low egg quality. Now, while saying this, you should note that the specific cause depends on a wide range of causes. Some of the key causes include: 

  • Endometriosis: Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, often on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other pelvic organs. This misplaced tissue can cause inflammation, scarring, and hormonal changes, which can negatively impact egg quality and overall fertility.
  • Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy: Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can damage the ovaries, reducing their ability to produce healthy eggs. In some cases, these treatments can lead to early menopause, significantly affecting a woman’s reproductive potential.
  • Autoimmune Diseases: Autoimmune diseases are a result of an attack by the body's immune system on its own tissues, which may involve ovaries. This will impede normal ovarian function and reduce egg quality, making it harder to conceive.
  • Age: The most important factor affecting egg quality is age, and fertility declines after 35. With advanced age, there is an increase in the number of genetically abnormal eggs, which reduces the chances of successful fertilization and healthy pregnancies.
  • Lifestyle Habits: Smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, unhealthy nutrition, obesity, and chronic stress constitute some of the unhealthy lifestyle habits that disrupt hormonal balance. This could impair the development of the eggs and reduce one's chances of producing good-quality eggs.
  • Past Ovarian Surgery: Previous ovarian surgery, such as cyst removal or other ovarian conditions, can reduce ovarian reserve and damage healthy ovarian tissue. This can result in a decreased number of eggs and negatively impact their quality.

Of course, the ones we mentioned here are just some of the key low egg quality causes. Besides the ones we mentioned here, there can be several other causes depending on how your physical and reproductive health is.

How To Improve Low Egg Quality?

While we discussed the causes and signs of low egg quality so far, not everything is as bleak as it looks. There are some silver linings as well for you to improve your egg quality. While the exact ways to enhance egg quality depend on your situation and how poor your egg condition is, we can let you in on some of the general ways. Here are some general methods to improve low egg quality:

  • Include antioxidant-rich foods to reduce oxidative stress on eggs.
  • Maintain a healthy diet while limiting processed food such as refined sugars and trans fats.
  • Take fertility supplements after consulting with fertility experts.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight, as being both underweight and overweight, can lead to poor-quality eggs.
  • Stay physically active and reduce stress.
  • Avoid smoking, limit intake of alcohol, and avoid toxins.
  • Improve the overall quality of sleep.
  • You could have conditions such as PCOS or endometriosis; for that, work with your doctors and take hormone therapies.
  • Take antioxidants such as melatonin and vitamin C.
  • Attend a routine checkup to track egg quality and hormone levels.

By taking these steps, you can maintain and improve egg quality. That said, do note that these are just some of the steps, and you must consult an expert before self-medicating.

Diagnosis of Poor Quality Egg

Before you even begin to improve your egg quality, you need to diagnose poor egg quality first. One of the first ways you do this is naturally to look for symptoms. Besides this, you can also go to a reputed fertility clinic such as Hardik IVF and Fertility Center and get diagnosed. Some of the most common forms of how poor egg quality is diagnosed include:

1. Basal FSH Test

The Basal Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test is a test that measures the level of FSH in your blood. These hormones will be at high levels and can hint at a low ovarian reserve and poor egg quality. The test helps the fertility doctor to understand the functioning of ovaries and gives an overview regarding egg health.

2. AMH Test

Another hormonal test used to check on your general egg health is the AMH test. This test measures the anti-Mullerian hormone and is a simple blood test. The experts can gain insights into your ovarian reserve and see how many eggs are left in your ovaries.

3. Antral Follicle Count

Also known as the AFC test, the Antral Follicle Count is essentially an ultrasound scan that helps doctors determine the number of follicles in your ovaries. The higher the number of follicles in your ovaries, the more chances of getting high-quality eggs. The lower the number of ovaries, the higher the chance of getting lower-quality eggs.

4. Ovarian Reserve Testing

Rather than a single test, ovarian reserve testing combines FSH, AMH, and AFC to provide you with a complete view of your fertility. Of course, this involves gaining insights into your egg quality as well.
By using these major forms of testing, the experts can gain insights into the quality of your eggs, along with many additional information.

5. Treatment of Poor Egg Quality

While having poor-quality eggs is indeed not a good sign of your reproductive health, they are not the be-all and end-all; you can treat them.But how do you treat bad quality eggs? Some common methods which are used as poor egg treatments include :
Medications: Medications are normally used to enhance the quality of the egg for better conception.

  • Lifestyle Changes: A healthy lifestyle including good nutrition, regular exercise, cessation of smoking and alcohol, and reduced stress will influence egg quality positively.
  • IVF with Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT): IVF retrieves eggs, fertilizes them in a lab, and transfers embryos to the uterus, while PGT screens embryos for chromosomal issues to select the best ones.
  • Donor Eggs: Eggs from a younger, healthy donor can be used if healthy eggs are unavailable, improving pregnancy success rates.

By using these treatment methods, the experts can treat and choose the best quality eggs for your fertilization and use in infertility treatment.

Why Choose Hardik IVF?

why choose hardik ivf for the consulting about the low egg quality

Last but not least, let's finally cover where you can get the best treatments for poor-quality eggs. Among many places you can find the cure, one of the best options for you is the Hardik IVF and Fertility Center. Why would anyone choose Hardik, though? Some of the key reasons include:

I. Caring Team with Experience

Hardik IVF is backed by highly experienced gynaecologists, embryologists, and genetic counselors. Professionals who bring several years of experience and understanding to your care. Their professional approach with personalized touch ensures each step in improving egg quality is undertaken with precision and empathy.

ii. Cutting-Edge Reproductive Technology

Poor egg quality is also treated at the centre with the help of advanced reproductive techniques such as IVF, ICSI, and PGT. These technologies ensure the best possible fertility outcomes and greatly improve the chances of a successful pregnancy.

iii. Full-Service Fertility Care

The patients at Hardik IVF are taken care of not only physically but also emotionally during their fertility treatment. This integrated mental health counseling will give you holistic care to deal with your fertility journey confidently and supportively.

iv. Transparent and Supportive Environment

Hardik IVF maintains all the processes in a very transparent manner, and the transparency builds up the trust and confidence in the treatment. The homely and warm atmosphere keeps them considerate during their treatment.

v. Affordable and Accessible Treatment

Hardik IVF has combined high-quality fertility services with affordability to make such advanced treatments accessible to a wide range of individuals. This ensures that addressing poor egg quality is within reach for many families.

Conclusion

Poor-quality eggs are a major hindrance when it comes to fulfilling the dream of being a parent. But there are treatment options you can take to aid in improving the quality of eggs. However, before you start the treatment process, you first need to understand the poor egg quality symptoms and their causes. The good news here is that with a bit of information and aid from experts, you can do it fairly easily.

In this blog, we provide you with information regarding symptoms of poor egg quality along with various other related information. We hope you found this helpful. If you seek further insights into the various aspects of infertility, do check out some of our other blogs. And if you want the best treatment for poor egg quality in Nepal, look no further than Hardik IVF and Fertility Center. Thank you for reading till the end.

FAQs on Poor Quality Egg Symptoms

1. Can poor egg quality be improved?

While egg quality decreases naturally with age, it is possible to improve it by making some lifestyle changes and some medical interventions. Following a healthy diet, regular exercises, stress management, avoiding smoking, and excessive intake of alcohol will help improve egg health. Additions such as Coenzyme Q10 and DHEA supplements have also shown promise in improving egg quality. However, the improvement may be variable, and consultation with a fertility expert is highly recommended.

2. Does poor egg quality cause birth defects?

Poor quality of the egg increases the chances of chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, which may lead to birth defects. Not all bad quality eggs lead to these conditions, though; the chances are pretty fair. The chances depend on many factors, including the extent of the damage to the quality of the eggs and other genetic factors.

3. What could be causing poor egg quality in a younger woman?

In younger women, poor quality of eggs may be due to several factors:

  • Genetics: Some genetic conditions can make one's eggs underdeveloped.
  • Lifestyle Factors: Poor diet, smoking, high alcohol consumption, and undue stress harm the quality of eggs.
  • Environmental Toxins: pollution and chemical exposure can hurt the eggs.
  • Medical Interventions: Chemotherapy or radiation treatment can damage ovarian function.
  • Autoimmune Diseases: Diseases where the immune system attacks the ovaries lower egg quality.

4. How do you know if your eggs are bad quality?

You can know that your eggs are of bad quality by looking art some of the various indicators. Indicators of poor egg quality include:

  • Irregular Menstrual Cycles: Variations in cycle length or flow can be indicative of ovulatory issues.
  • Difficulty in conceiving can point to a problem with egg quality.
  • High Levels of Hormones: High levels of FSH or low AMH can indicate poor egg quality.
  • Recurrent Miscarriages: Multiple pregnancy losses may be related to chromosomal abnormalities in eggs.

5. Can I get pregnant with poor egg quality?

Poor egg quality means lower chances of conception, though not impossible. Medical interventions in cases of poor egg quality are related to the selection of a qualitatively better embryo, performed with the help of such popular assisted reproductive technologies as IVF combined with preimplantation genetic diagnosis/test.

6. What are 5 foods that improve egg quality?

The top 5 foods that you can include in your diet to improve egg quality include:

  • Leafy Greens: Rich in folate, essential for reproductive health.
  • Berries: High in antioxidants that protect eggs from oxidative stress.
  • Nuts and Seeds: Provide healthy fats and vitamin E, supporting hormonal balance.
  • Whole Grains: Help maintain stable blood sugar levels, beneficial for fertility.
  • Oily Fish: High in omega-3 fatty acids, which may improve egg quality.

7. Is poor egg quality hereditary?

Genetic factors can influence egg quality. Certain inherited conditions may lead to diminished ovarian reserve or poor egg quality. However, lifestyle and environmental factors also play significant roles. Genetic counselling can provide personalized insights.

8. How often should I get tested for egg quality?

Regular testing isn't typically necessary unless you're experiencing fertility issues or are over 35. If you're concerned about your egg quality, especially if you are planning to delay pregnancy, discussing testing options with a fertility specialist is advisable.

9. Is age the primary factor affecting egg quality?

Age is a significant factor in egg quality. As women age, the number and quality of eggs decline, leading to increased risks of infertility and chromosomal abnormalities. However, lifestyle and environmental factors also impact egg quality.