Egg-citing insights. Cracking the ovarian code

Each woman is born with a finite number of eggs, also known as the ovarian reserve. While the exact number varies from person to person, women typically have an estimated one to two million eggs at birth. This number naturally declines with age, with only a few hundred eggs remaining at menopause.

As much as we’d love to say it doesn’t, it does. With age, the quality and quantity of your eggs naturally declines. In fact, you may only have about 10% of the eggs you were born with by the time you reach 30! Research consistently indicates that before age 35 is the most optimal time to freeze your eggs. Not only does this help you capture your youngest, healthiest eggs, but it also increases your chances of fertilisation when you are ready.

Then again, many people will not need to consider egg freezing or assisted reproductive technology for pregnancy—many women get pregnant with ease well into their mid-thirties. One of the simplest ways to initially examine your ovarian reserve is with a comprehensive fertility assessment, which includes simple blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound; this helps get a clear picture of how your ovarian reserve looks 'for your age', empowering you to make the most informed decisions for you and your future family.

Egg quality can vary from person to person based on factors such as age, overall health, lifestyle choices, and genetics. While egg quality naturally decreases with age, even younger women can have poor-quality eggs; because we assume that younger equals more fertile, this is often only discovered when they struggle to conceive. At Celery Health, we offer expert nutritional, genetic, and lifestyle support to improve the quality of your ovarian reserve and optimise your egg health.

Absolutely. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exposure to environmental toxins may all potentially impact your egg quality. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to nurture your ovarian reserve and improve your reproductive health as a whole.

At Celery Health, we work with nutritional, lifestyle, and sleep experts who specialise in fertility support and optimisation. Even if you're not planning on conceiving any time soon, adopting healthy lifestyle choices early could make all the difference for your future family.

Yes. Egg freezing, also known as 'oocyte cryopreservation', is a common method of preserving a woman's fertility by freezing her eggs for future use. It’s a great option for women who aren’t quite ready for children yet, but want to keep their options open for the future.

That said, egg freezing is never a guaranteed plan for a future baby. Many factors will play a role in your likelihood of future conception, including your age at the time of egg freezing, the quality of your eggs, and the number of eggs frozen. Speak to one of our fertility experts to learn what egg freezing could look like for you!

While fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), can help overcome certain fertility challenges, they do not directly improve egg quality. However, these treatments can increase the chances of pregnancy by most effectively utilising the available eggs and addressing other factors affecting fertility.

Protecting and enhancing egg health is no quick fix—it’s a lifestyle. It includes everything from a healthy, fertility-friendly diet to getting lots of movement, managing stress levels, and avoiding harmful substances and toxic products. For more information on cultivating your very own egg-savvy lifestyle, get in touch. There are plenty of easy changes you can make at home to help.

Some fertility supplements may have potential benefits for egg health, as they often contain key nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins that support reproductive health. Speak to one of our fertility experts today to get personalised fertility supplement guidance for your most eggs-travagant life.