Thanks to the development of reproductive technologies, many people are becoming able to become parents. One of the most popular and effective procedures is IVF. But even in vitro fertilization does not always provide the desired result. The reason for this is often the low quality of the biological material - the egg. That is why everyone who is preparing to meet with the baby needs to know how to improve the quality of the egg before IVF and thereby increase the chances of a successful conception.
IVF procedure description
In vitro fertilization occurs outside the body of a woman. IVF differs from natural fertilization only in that the embryo appears in the laboratory. Male sperm and female eggs are selected from a couple who wants to have a baby, and then combine in an embryological laboratory.
Upon successful IVF, the embryo is placed in a special container that has the necessary nutrient medium and temperature. Then it is checked for viability and the absence of pathologies. After this, the embryo is transferred to the woman’s uterus. There he develops over 9 months in the same way as a child conceived in a natural way. Children born through the method of in vitro fertilization are no different from others.
If the woman’s eggs are of poor quality, fertilization in the embryological laboratory is unsuccessful. The germ cells of men and women do not turn into an embryo. That is why it is necessary to increase their efficiency by all means before carrying out the IVF procedure. How to improve the quality of the egg before this procedure, the attending physician should tell. However, a woman needs to take care of her own reproductive health herself. This will be easy to do if you have an idea about the development of the eggs and their viability.
Egg development
Unlike male cells, female cells are not constantly produced. Their number arises in the body of a woman even at the stage of her being in the womb. In addition, the eggs are constantly exposed to external factors. They can become smaller due to poor health of the woman, unstable mental state, as well as the use of alcohol and cigarettes.
A woman has her own stock of eggs, each of which matures in stages over the entire reproductive age. At the time of birth, the number of follicles already reaches two million. Before the reproductive function begins to work, they are in a sleeping state, therefore throughout their life their maturation is completely associated with menstruation.
In the early days of the menstrual cycle, only a small part of the eggs begins to wake up and develop. Then their number increases. At the time of follicular maturation, only one remains - the most tenacious. Being ripe for fertilization, it enters the uterine tube. There is a meeting with the sperm and the birth of a new life.
What determines the quality of the egg
Before you improve the quality of eggs before IVF, you should find out what exactly affects their performance. The number of oocytes in a woman’s body does not increase, but rather decreases every year. In addition, much affects their quality. It is necessary to distinguish the following situations that worsen egg productivity:
- Bad habits (smoking, drugs, alcohol).
- Inadequately balanced and healthy diet.
- Poor sleep, lack of proper rest.
- Age.
- The presence of excess weight.
- Chronic stress
- The impact of chemical, radiation substances on the body.
Of all the above factors, the most influential can be called age. After 40 years, a woman has only 15-20% of productive oocytes. Poor quality egg cells not only reduce the chances of successful fertilization, but also provoke the development of genetic diseases in the child. That is why you need to know everything about how to improve the quality of eggs before IVF. This procedure is already prescribed most often to those women who have problems in the reproductive sphere. Therefore, they should prepare for the future conception especially seriously.
External manifestations of bad eggs
The poor quality of oocytes can be determined by some external signs. Low egg productivity is expressed by a decrease in the menstrual cycle. Menstruation becomes scarce and ends quickly. The most visible indicator of deterioration in oocyte quality is considered to be the age of the woman. Already by the age of 38, hormonal failure occurs, which affects the composition and performance of the eggs. Similar changes may indicate the approach of early menopause. In addition to these external signs, there are laboratory tests that can determine the number and productivity of oocytes. Therefore, before asking the question of how to improve the quality of eggs before IVF, it is necessary to make an analysis that reveals their performance.
In vitro fertilization preparation
Before in vitro fertilization, it is necessary to improve the quality of the eggs. After all, when planning a baby, everyone wants to get pregnant as soon as possible. IVF fertilization is not always successful on the first try. That is why you should responsibly prepare for this procedure. How to improve the quality of eggs before IVF, every couple who dreams about a child should know. A woman will have to consider a huge number of factors affecting the improvement of egg productivity. These include: a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, physical activity, rejection of bad habits, as well as drug therapy. Each of these factors favorably affects the oocytes and the general well-being of a woman before the in vitro fertilization procedure.
Healthy lifestyle and in vitro fertilization
Some women wonder why eggs in IVF can reduce the chances of successful fertilization. Quite often, the failure to comply with a healthy lifestyle is the fault of unsuccessful attempts. If a woman has bad habits, eats unbalanced or ignores the benefits of physical activity, this sooner or later leads to a deterioration in her reproductive abilities.
In order to normalize the level of female hormones in the body, as well as improve the quality of eggs, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, and also not to forget about regular sex life. These methods alone cannot change the production of hormones, because much depends on blood and immunity. But due to the interconnection of all organs of the human body, it is impossible to deny the positive impact of a healthy lifestyle on the reproductive system.
The body and immunity are strengthened by observing the correct metabolic regimen, which affects the rate of distribution of blood and oxygen throughout the body. These metabolic processes allow you to fully saturate all vital organs with active and beneficial substances. The activity of the reproductive system also largely depends on the proper metabolism.
3-4 months before the in vitro fertilization procedure, a woman should completely change her usual way of life. It is necessary to abandon all existing bad habits. Do not smoke or drink alcohol. Allowed to drink no more than 1 glass of wine per month. You will also have to give up coffee. A healthy lifestyle includes proper and balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and constant saturation of the body with vitamins.
Proper nutrition before IVF
In order for egg quality in IVF to improve and pregnancy to occur, you need to eat a healthy and balanced diet. You also need to remember about good rest and sleep enough hours. An adult needs at least 8 hours of sound sleep. A daily meal should contain a sufficient amount of protein, healthy fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Lack of beneficial elements can negatively affect a woman’s fertility. Therefore, you need to include in the diet more fresh vegetables, herbs, nuts, fruits, lean meat, fish, cereals and legumes.
The quality of oocytes improves significantly after taking flaxseed oil. A woman who wants to get pregnant with IVF needs to take at least 2 tablespoons of flax seed oil per day. In addition to natural food, it will be possible to increase immunity and improve the condition of the reproductive system with a multivitamin complex. But it needs to be purchased only after consultation with the attending gynecologist.
Drug preparation for IVF
If a woman has undergone a failed IVF procedure, she may be prescribed medication. Various drugs will increase the quality of oocytes and improve the chances of egg fertilization in IVF. Before prescribing medications, the doctor directs the woman for analysis, which determines the quality of the eggs. Depending on the results, a treatment regimen is prescribed. Most often, it consists in taking vitamins, which accumulate in the body of a woman and have a beneficial effect on the reproductive system. They must be taken at least three months before the IVF procedure. Doctors prescribe the following drugs:
- Folic acid. When thinking about how to improve an egg for IVF, one should not forget about the benefits of folate, or vitamin B9. It normalizes the menstrual cycle, accumulates in the body of a woman and prevents many malformations in the child. These include such a serious disease as the pathology of the neural tube of the fetus. To improve the quality of oocytes and prevent pathologies in a child, it is necessary to take at least 800 micrograms of folic acid in tablets.
- Vitamin E. Its use is extremely important for successful IVF. Vitamin E not only has a beneficial effect on the eggs, but also prevents the development of diseases of the mammary glands. You need to take it twice a day, one capsule with a dosage of 100 mg.
- Multivitamin complex for pregnant women. It is prescribed at the stage of pregnancy planning. Therefore, before the in vitro fertilization procedure, you must consult a doctor and get advice on the selection of good vitamins.
If a woman who is more than 40 years old needs an IVF with her egg, she is prescribed hormone therapy.
Vitamin intake before IVF
Despite the fact that all doctors disagree on whether vitamins are needed to improve the quality of oocytes, everyone needs to take them. Without them, the body ceases to function normally. A woman who has decided on in vitro fertilization needs to take care of her own health even more carefully. Knowing everything about how to improve eggs before IVF, you can increase your chances of a successful outcome of this procedure. To improve their quality, and IVF was successful, it is necessary to drink a course of vitamins.
Such preparation will not only increase the chances of successful fertilization, but also prevent the development of possible fetal pathologies. One of the most important vitamins for a woman planning a pregnancy is folic acid, or vitamin B9. A complex of vitamins containing folate is able to positively affect the reproductive function and mood of a woman. Folic acid promotes normal cell maturation. IVF while taking this drug is much more successful.
Inositol is another important vitamin in preparation for IVF. It is his doctors who are prescribed in order to make up for the lack of healthy oocytes in women. If there are too few of them, the eggs begin to develop poorly. In this case, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment, which can last from 2 weeks to a month. After this, a second study of the quality of the eggs is prescribed.
Bioregulator treatment
How to improve egg quality before IVF? Reviews indicate that the best drug in this category is Ovariamin, a special biological supplement. The drug contains an active substance called cytamine. It is extracted from the ovaries of animals, in particular cattle. Therefore, the product is absolutely natural and safe. "Ovariamine" restore the normal functioning of the ovaries and resume their active work.
Improving the quality of eggs before IVF should be done several months before the proposed procedure. If you take this bioregulator at the planning stage of pregnancy, fertilization can occur even in a natural way. The IVF procedure will also take place against the background of its intake very well, as the quality of the eggs will improve significantly. The drug is prescribed to women of young and mature age. There are no age restrictions. You just need to do an analysis and determine the quality of the eggs. If it is unsatisfactory, the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen. Most often, "Ovariamin" take from 1 to 3 tablets per day before meals. The dosage and duration of treatment is determined in each case individually.
Male hormone treatment
Women of mature age who have problems with the quality of oocytes may be recommended a treatment regimen for synthesized male hormone - dehydroepiandrosterone (DEA). It perfectly restores the female reproductive system. Preparation for the IVF procedure must necessarily include treatment with such drugs, especially if in vitro fertilization is not the first time.
Dehydroepiandrosterone increases fertility, resumes ovulation, and significantly improves oocyte quality. Its main advantage and difference from other drugs is the reduction in the risk of a possible miscarriage. A course of treatment with DEA increases the chances of a successful IVF procedure even for women aged 45 years. The duration of treatment and the dosage of the drug are determined by the doctor.