# How can I improve poor egg quality?



## Leah66

Can anything be done to help poor egg quality?

1st IVF.. Short protocol.. Gonal F + cetrotide
15 eggs collected, only 6 mature enough to fertilise.. 
5 of the 6 fertilised (ICSI)
Day 3.. 3embryos did not develop at all, the last 2 were also poor quality and only reached the 5-6 cell stage with fragmentation.
Result.. Expected BFN.

2nd IVF.. Short protocol.. Menepur + cetrotide.
13 eggs collected.. Only *1* mature enough to fertilise..
1 of 1 fertilised. 
The last survivor transfered On day3 was a 6 cell. Fragmented.
Result.. Again expected BFN

Approaching 3rd IVF..
Dr has concluded my failed IVFs are down to poor egg quality. The worst case he has seen for my age group.
He wants to try me on the Long Protocol, simply because we haven't tried that, but the drugs will be the same, apart from the DownReg Prostap.

I am mid 20s, fit and healthy.
Is there anything I can do to help improve my egg quality

Any answers much appreciated
Love Leah x


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## pumpkin34

Hi Leah,

I'm quite new to all of this so I'm probably not the best person to advise you but I've picked up a few things from some of the wonderful ladies on here during the time I've been on the site which might be of help.

Coenzyme Q10 2 x 35 mg - promotes blood flow to the ovaries, creates great quality eggs (especially age-related egg-decline), helps prevent miscarriage (so take throughout pregnancy). Be careful when purchasing your Q10: some versions contain other supplements/added ingredients to make it work better, which you may not necessarily want. So check the small print. For e.g.: Tesco Q10 contains Vitamin E, which is fine before pregnancy, but some studies have shown Vit E can/may cause birth defects at high doses. Not sure if there is enough evidence, but you want to make sure you are taking supplements that are right for you. Q10 can also protect sperm from cell damage. CoQ10 (also known as ubiquinone) is in every cell of the human body...
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/coenzyme-q10.htm
It also reduces the risk of preeclampsia:
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0020729208005626
(to take Especially in 2WW).

Wheatgrass juice - It can lower FSH levels and lead to higher ovarian reserves.

My acupuncturist also recommends eating enough good quality protein (eggs funnily enough, lol) to help with egg quality.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Pumpkin
xx


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## Pyra

Pumpkin's suggestions are very good. I'd say up the Co-enzyme Q-10 to about 500-600mg a day - the Lister recommends this. You can buy some off Amazon. I'm assuming you are taking 400-500mcg Folic acid. L-arginine is also supposed to be good. I'd recommend you take a cocktail of vits such as what Pregnacare Conception (or something similar) offers. You should these for at least 12 weeks prior to starting stims for them to have an optimal effect.

Eggs + milk (or protein shakes) - before and during stims.


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## Shoegirl10

Co - enzyme Q10
Spa tone
Pregnacare
Omega 3
L'arginine
Zinc
Selenium

All these help with eggs, endometrium lining, sperm, implantation
XXX


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## CharlieClarke

How far in advance should you be taking the Co-enzyme Q10?

I start my second round next wk


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## Pyra

Lister's suggestion was the standard 3 months for it to really affect egg quality - since apparently antrals for a particular cycle are selected at t-3 months 

But surely there can only be upside to taking it even for a short duration before your cycle. All the best!


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## CharlieClarke

Thanks Pyra!

I will go buy tomorrow. What brand would you suggest?


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## Pyra

I got Doctor's Best from Amazon - frankly I was looking for something cheap with decent reviews. You might want to check ebay too. Holland & Barrett was more expensive.


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## MandyPandy

Just to put the cat among the pigeons here, I found that cetrotide ruined my eggs.  I have only had one cycle with it and had the worst result I've ever had - of 11 eggs only one was any good to transfer.

My best results are with menopur/puregon/arvekap or merional/fostimon/Suprecur.

Also, how long do you normally stimm for?

...obviously I would speak to the Dr about this in addition to all the supplements the ladies above have suggested.


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## Pyra

Mandy, glad the IUI went well! Sorry - can't help you with your question, since am in the middle of my first IVF cycle - with Cetrotide  

Out of interest - where was the drop-off in the cycle with Cetrotide the highest? During fertilization, or subsequent growth? What were your E2 levels - did your clinic consider those as well to decide when you should trigger?


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## MandyPandy

Pyra said:


> Mandy, glad the IUI went well! Sorry - can't help you with your question, since am in the middle of my first IVF cycle - with Cetrotide
> 
> Out of interest - where was the drop-off in the cycle with Cetrotide the highest? During fertilization, or subsequent growth? What were your E2 levels - did your clinic consider those as well to decide when you should trigger?


Thanks Hun

I don't think cetrotide has that affect on everyone but it's something worth considering _if_ your cycle doesn't work. Until then, it's not worth thinking about. 

The drop off rate with the eggs was during fertilisation. We had ICSI and 4 of the eggs didn't survive the injection, several fertilised 'abnormally' and there was a lot of fragmentation on the rest (bar the one good one). The clinic then messed up the ET, so it could well have been good enough to become something (and, let's face it, that's all that matters in the end) if the transfer had have gone smoothly. I can't remember my E2 levels offhand but yes, the clinic did consider them. I was also on stimms for quite a long time on the highest possible dosage (although that's not the only time I've been on the same level of the same stimms drugs), and sometimes that can also affect the quality.

On all my other cycles I've had 100% fert rate on the mature eggs.

I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to make anyone panic.


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