How to Improve Egg Quality for Pregnancy

Increasing the Quality of Your Eggs

1. Cut back on how much alcohol you consume on a daily basis. Alcohol may have a negative impact on your chances of getting pregnant, and completely abstaining from drinking my give you the highest chance of conceiving. If you're not willing to cut out all drinking, try to not have more than 1-5 drinks a week at the most.^[1]

   1. Drinking has been linked to a higher chance of developing an ovulation disorder.^[2]
   2. Try substituting your normal alcoholic drink for a fun mocktail—just because you're not drinking or are drinking less doesn't mean you can't still have a nice beverage!
2. Limit your caffeine intake to 200 milligrams of coffee, or 1-2 cups, per day. Depending on how much you rely on your daily cup of coffee to get going each day, this may be a hard habit to adjust to. If you drink more than the recommended amount, try cutting back gradually until you're having just 1-2 cups each day.^[3]

   1. High doses of caffeine have been linked to difficulties getting pregnant, as well as a higher chance of having a miscarriage.^[4]
   2. Consider switching out your normal coffee for decaf, half-caf, or even black or green tea.
3. Avoid using any forms of tobacco to keep your eggs healthy. Smoking can make your ovaries age faster and cause you to lose eggs more quickly than you would otherwise. If you need help cutting out tobacco, talk to your doctor.^[5]

   1. Think of it this way—you'd be highly encouraged to stop using tobacco while pregnant, so this is a great opportunity to both increase your chances of conceiving while also preparing for pregnancy.
4. Manage stress in a healthy way to improve the quality of your eggs. Whether it's going for a long walk, calling a friend, or watching a comedic movie, do whatever you need to at the end of each day to destress. It can be extremely hard not to fret when you're trying to conceive, and sometimes being told not to stress can make it even worse! Just do your best to tackle each day as it comes and find ways that personally help you lower your stress.^[6]

   1. When you're stressed, your body produces cortisol. Cortisol can negatively affect your ovaries, follicles, and oocytes, which can all contribute to poor egg quality.
   2. If you're dealing with extreme stress, consider talking with your doctor or a therapist. They may be able to help you come up with some tools to work through your stress and anxiety.^[7]
5. Keep your exercise at a moderate level rather than over-exercising. When you exercise a lot, especially if it's vigorous exercise, your body may not ovulate like it normally would. Try to keep that vigorous type of movement to 5 hours or less each week, or consider modifying your workouts to be less intense.^[8]

   1. Vigorous exercise is when you are breathing deeply and fast, start sweating soon after you begin your workout, and you can't talk or say more than a couple of words without having to stop to take another breath.^[9]
   2. If you're calculating your heart rate, you're in a vigorous state if you're hitting 70-85% of your maximum heart rate.^[10]
6. Steer clear of toxins and pollutants to protect the quality of your eggs. As much as you can, avoid chemicals, pesticides, tobacco smoke, exhaust, dry-cleaning solvents, and other toxins. If you do have to be around any air pollutants, try to stay in a well-ventilated area and get as much fresh air as you can.^[11]

   1. Pollutants may disrupt your menstrual cycle, making it harder for you to get pregnant.^[12]
   2. Household cleaners often give off strong odors and contain chemicals that could be problematic. If you can, consider switching to natural cleaning products.^[13]