Poor oocyte quality is an issue that affects many women around the world and often stands as one of the biggest barriers to conceiving a child. Sadness, frustration, and despair can be overwhelming for those who struggle with this problem, and it's important to understand that you are not alone on this journey.
It's easy to feel discouraged when receiving a diagnosis of poor oocyte quality, but it's important to remember that this doesn't mean you cannot have children. With the right treatment and a positive attitude, many options are still available to you.
Instead of letting poor oocyte quality stop you, you should take control of the situation and work with experts to find the best treatment plan. From in vitro fertilization options to alternative therapies and lifestyle changes, a variety of options can help you achieve your dream of having a child.
Women begin producing eggs from the ninth week of gestation, and as the process progresses, the reserve also increases. By birth, a baby has approximately 2 million oocytes. Afterward, this reserve decreases, and by puberty, there are only around 400,000 left.
From this stage, a woman will only produce between 350 and 450 mature eggs in each menstrual cycle, but the quality of them depends on several factors, ranging from biological to environmental.
To verify if this may be your case, it is necessary to always consult with a reproductive specialist. However, it's important to consider these 10 points that will give you a better understanding of your particular situation.
Fertility changes over time, and this is a distinctive element that affects both the quantity and quality of the eggs.
This decline can occur much earlier than most women expect, but specialists suggest that there is a decline in women's fertility due to this circumstance starting from the age of 35.
In addition to multiple alterations in different body systems, being overweight or obese also affects your reproductive health, specifically the quality of your eggs.
It's scientifically proven that being overweight considerably decreases the number of oocytes in a follicular puncture. Moreover, there is a lower number of mature eggs and poor quality of them, reflected in lower pregnancy rates.
For women who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatments, it also affects the quantity and quality of the eggs, making it difficult to achieve a pregnancy.
In this case, specialists recommend that before starting these treatments, they consider freezing their eggs and subsequently starting an assisted reproduction treatment with a higher success rate.
There are hormonal imbalances that can cause a decrease in the quality of eggs, or prevent them from maturing normally.
One of the most well-known examples, in this case, is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
According to specialists in Reproductive Biology, this cause is less common but possible, as they have described genetic mutations that cause stiffness in the zona pellucida of the egg.
This stiffness makes it more difficult to fertilize, or once fertilized, the egg may not divide correctly.
The stimulation used in Assisted Reproduction cycles plays a very important role, as the type of hormone used and the duration of such stimulation can influence the quality of the egg.
It is a condition that involves the growth of tissue that lines the inside of the uterus outside of it, usually on the surfaces of organs or other places where it is not supposed to grow, such as the Fallopian tubes, bladder, and ovaries.
The formation of uterine tissue (endometrium) in the ovary affects abnormalities in the eggs.
The degree of impact will depend on the ovarian reserve, and if there is a higher reserve, then the chances of finding healthy eggs increase.
The health effects caused by excessive alcohol consumption are well-known, but it is scientifically proven that high consumption decreases the ability to conceive.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that optimal alcohol consumption is one glass of wine per day for men and half for women.
However, if you plan to start an Assisted Reproduction treatment, specialists recommend stopping alcohol consumption for at least 3 to 6 months before any procedure.
Did you know that smoking not only worsens the quality of eggs but also advances menopause?
Specialists have demonstrated for many years that the substances present in cigarettes produce toxicity in the hormones involved in ovulation.
Conditions such as insulin resistance make it difficult for the metabolism to function properly, and substances like glucose affect the cellular level, impacting fertility.
Through control treatments, specialists have been shown to be effective in increasing egg quality and improving success rates in Assisted Reproduction treatments.
Learn more about Iraí's story, who, despite being diagnosed with poor oocyte quality, achieved her pregnancy and now enjoys life with her daughter Sofía.
If you've been trying to have a baby for over a year and haven't been successful, or if you've been diagnosed with poor oocyte quality, with the help of our specialists, we will make your dream of having a baby come true.
Don't give up, keep moving forward, and keep looking for the answers you need. With the help of a healthcare professional and a positive attitude, you can overcome poor oocyte quality and become a mom. Remember, your strength and determination are more powerful than any obstacle that may come your way in life.
