Tips for improving egg quality?

[Hopingforamiracle2020]

Hi all, after two failed ICSI for male factor and a bad response by me the consultant has now said poor egg quality is definitely an issue. Im doing another round in 6 weeks (8 weeks till egg collection) and was wondering if anyone had any tips that worked to improve egg quality.

For my last round I had

• no caffeine
• no alcohol
• salmon x2 a week and limited red meat
• ubiquinol 200, Procieve max and vitamin d spray and vitamin c

I did have a good bit of junk food and carbs

Considering now giving up all carbs and sugar?
Anyone anything that worked? Consultant will test my testosterone levels and see if I can take DHEA but he said my last levels were fine and could have a negative impact if so.

The only positive impact i have had on egg quality is by stripping back IVF drug protocols and focusing on much fewer numbers of follicles with lower dose drugs

(I have been on all the supplements on your list for probably 2 years now and can't see they made any difference. The only extra I had to your list is royal jelly tablets. And I've read of some people taking macca root). I was 35 when I started IVF and now 37.

Last year through 2 cycles of short protocol I got 28 eggs in total - less than 30% fertilised due to poor egg quality. No grade 1 on day 3. Ended up with 4 average quality blastocysts

I've now done 3 cycles of natural modified IVF freezing blastocysts ready to transfer after the final egg collection which was Friday. Out of 11 eggs 100% fertilised - lots of grade 1 on day 3 and I'm on track for 6 top quality blastocysts

I really don't think diet has much of an impact and I really think it's down to the specific mix of drugs that match your hormone profile for that month - hence why doing back to back cycles has been better for me tweaking cycle start date and level of drugs each time and sticking with the same clinic so they have gained valuable knowledge of my cycle and how my follicles react when stimming

Hi @ivfgottostaypositive thanks for your response. Across two cycles I’ve only gotten 7 eggs - 4 and 3 and no blasts. So I would wonder if I would get anything on a natural protocol? It seems like you did quite well quantity wise just quality and issue whereas for me it’s both quality and quantity (and male issues )

@Hopingforamiracle2020

Did you have other follicles visible and they just didn't grow? What level of drugs were you on? If you were on high doses and only getting 3-4 eggs I would definitely consider going down another route - you don't really have much to lose and everything to gain?

Although having male factor does make it a lot riskier?

We took a massive leap of faith going from getting 14 eggs per cycle to only targeting around 2. And in fact at the egg collection I had on Friday I was proceeding with the expectation I was only going to get one egg but they found another follicle hiding away so I ended up with 2.

Natural modified cycle 1 - 2 eggs
Natural modified cycle 2 - 7 eggs
Natural modified cycle 3 - 2 eggs but only expecting 1

Yes I was on high doses and follicles were there but just didn’t grow or didn’t have an egg. You are right if we go again and same outcome I will look into natural and see if we can try it! Thanks for all the info! That’s a great outcome from natural for you. Best of luck with the transfers. Hopefully all your hard work will pay off.

Hi @Hopingforamiracle2020,
I've been watching fertility seminars and spoken to different specialists and I was told the short protocols are better for different reasons. First of all it is less meds to put your body through plus the eggs are better quality. Quality over quantity.

I did ivf twice. The first time I saw a specialist acupuncturist for infertility in Harley St. I saw her for a long time - at least 6 months as the intention was to fall pregnant. I didn’t, so went to the argc clinic for ivf. Had to stop the acupuncture treatment because I couldn’t afford both. First time. 24 eggs were retrieved which was a lot. Unfortunately ended in miscarriage due to chromosomal issues. But as far as the ivf went I did fall pregnant.

Second time was successful. But only 8 eggs retrieved. I honestly put that down to acupuncture and Chinese herbs helping me create so many eggs. And then because I stopped only 8 eggs collected the second time.
Just remember though you just need the one egg but yes the more chances you have ....
Good luck.
If you want to try acupuncture make sure they are a specialist - not someone on the high street.