Hey there, future mama, welcome to the Expert Nutritionist podcast. I'm Lacey Madden, fertility nutritionist, and this is the podcast for you if you're wanting to optimize your egg quality and fertility so that you can get pregnant and stay pregnant, or increase your IVF success, if you're needing a little help from assisted reproductive technology. In these bite-sized episodes, I will be sharing with you easy to digest information and helpful tips and tricks to support you on your path to becoming a mama. Let's get into the episode. In this episode, I'm going to be sharing with you five tips to help you best prepare for an egg retrieval. So high quality eggs are more likely to fertilize successfully, develop into healthy embryos and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. And it's no secret that as you age, both the quantity and the quality of your eggs do naturally decline. And I know that this is why you're listening to this episode, because you know how important the quality of your eggs that you do have left are heading into an egg retrieval. And I also know that you want to feel as prepared and confident as possible heading into an egg retrieval so that you can ultimately enhance your chances of bringing a healthy baby home. So I'm going to be sharing with you five tips to help you boost your egg quality and prepare for an egg retrieval.
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So tip number one is to take a co-Q10 supplement. Coenzyme Q10, also known as co-Q10, acts as a vital antioxidant that fights against free radicals and inflammation in the body, and these free radicals can affect egg quality by damaging the DNA and impairing normal function. I also just want to quickly mention some really amazing research with you, and I have linked to this in the show notes if you want to check it out and read more. But one meta analysis that included 449 infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology showed that oral co-Q10 supplementation helped to increase pregnancy rates compared with placebo or no treatment. Another study with 299 women going through IVF or unexplained infertility found that higher co-Q10 levels were linked to better quality eggs and higher pregnancy rates. And another study that included 169 women with poor ovarian response to IVF stimulation medication found that taking co-Q10 60 days prior to IVF can significantly improve egg quality. Pretty amazing, right? So I again have linked to that research if you want to check it out.
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So my key takeaway from tip number one is to consider taking a co-Q10 supplement, and in the form of ubiquinol, as soon as possible. The earlier the better. A co-Q10 supplement in the form of ubiquinol is far more superior and effective at raising levels within the body as opposed to ubiquinone, which is the oxidized form of co-Q10. And I've linked to some research to support that as well. So when it comes to dosage, a great place to start is with 400 milligrams per day divided into two doses. So 200 milligrams in the morning with breakfast and 200 milligrams in the afternoon with lunch. But always consult with your doctor first before starting any new supplements.
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Tip number two up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. So these omega-3 fatty acids are vital for reproductive health as they're loaded with antioxidant properties and can help to reduce inflammation around the reproductive organs, and research has demonstrated that a diet rich in omega-3s may help to extend the reproductive lifespan of eggs and enhance egg quality by supporting cell functioning and healthy DNA. So some great sources of omega-3, three that are easily absorbed by the body include oily fish like salmon, trout, anchovies and sardines. If you don't like seafood, or if you're allergic, or if you're vegan, consider taking an omega-3 supplement. My key takeaway from tip number two is to consume a source of cold water fatty fish at least two times per week, or consider an omega-3 supplement that includes both DHA and EPA, which are forms of omega-3, if fish just isn't your thing.
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And tip number three is to focus on zinc. Zinc is an essential mineral, plays a critical role in antioxidant pathways and early embryo development, and insufficient zinc levels before conception can disrupt key processes during egg fertilization, resulting in reduced egg quality, fertilization rates, embryo development and pregnancy outcomes. And some food Foods that are rich in zinc include plant-based options like quinoa, cashews and lentils, and some animal-based sources include oysters, pork and crab. And you want to be aiming for at least eight milligrams of dietary zinc per day and choosing a prenatal supplement that contains more than 10 milligrams of zinc to ensure you are meeting your basic needs, because your body cannot store zinc, so continuous dietary intake is really necessary. Key takeaway from tip number three is to consume zinc rich foods daily and to choose a prenatal supplement with at least 10 milligrams of zinc. Really quickly wanted to let you know that I have a free resource for you. It's my egg quality boosting starter kit, and I know that you want to get your hands on it, so you'll find the link to it in the show notes.
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Tip number four is to boost your vitamin D. So research has demonstrated that optimal vitamin D levels can positively influence the follicular fluid, which is the fluid that surrounds your ovaries and your eggs and provides nourishment to your immature eggs. And vitamin D can also help to support fertilization, implantation, lowering the risk of miscarriage and supporting IVF success. Some really great dietary sources include eggs, specifically the yolk, fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and liver, and you can even boost the vitamin D content of your mushrooms by exposing them to direct sunlight for a couple of hours. So for optimal egg health and fertility, you want to be aiming for vitamin D levels around the 100 nanomoles per litre mark. If your levels are low, you may want to consider supplementing with a vitamin D three supplement, as opposed to vitamin D two, because this will help to more effectively raise and sustain optimal vitamin D levels. So key takeaway from tip number four is to ensure you're prioritizing vitamin D rich foods in your diet and to consider a vitamin D supplement if your levels are lower than 100 nanomoles per litre.
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Tip number five is to focus on folate. So I want you to imagine folate as a hard-working construction crew member for your eggs, responsible for building new DNA proteins and even helping with detoxification. It's a really crucial player in the growth and development of your precious eggs. Now here's the really exciting part Research has shown that women who take folate before IVF have higher quality eggs. So there's two really simple ways that you can ensure you're getting enough folate. The first is to consider taking a quality prenatal supplement with at least 400 micrograms of folate ideally 800 micrograms and in the form of natural food folate or folicic acid or methylfolate, and you want to be avoiding synthetic folic acid, and that's a topic for another day. I'll go into that in another episode.
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Second thing, or second way you can ensure you're getting enough folate, is to include a variety of folate rich foods in your diet. So women of childbearing age need 400 micrograms of dietary folate daily, which increases to 600 micrograms during pregnancy. It's really common for women to be low in folate. Some really great food sources include spinach, avocados, brussel sprouts, legumes, oranges, peanuts, sunflower seeds and broccoli. Key takeaway from tip number five is to ensure you're getting enough folate from both dietary sources and from a quality prenatal supplement. So to recap those five tips Tip number one take a CoQ10 supplement. Tip number two is to up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Tip number three is to focus on zinc. Tip number four boost your vitamin D. Tip number five is to focus on folate.
Speaker 1:
And I want to throw in a bonus tip let's not forget about the role of quality sleep. So melatonin, which is the sleep hormone. It plays a really critical role in safeguarding your eggs from stresses and oxidative damage, and there is even some research to suggest that supplementing with melatonin during IVF may boost pregnancy rates. A melatonin supplement is not for everyone. Just want to repeat that again, it's not for everyone. So I do recommend strongly recommend speaking to your healthcare provider before even considering a melatonin supplement to ensure it is right for you.
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But what I do recommend is trying to establish a consistent sleep routine with seven to eight hours of sleep, to eight hours of sleep per night and in a dark environment, to help encourage your body's natural production of melatonin. So there you have it. There's my top tips for preparing for an egg retrieval. I hope you found this helpful and I'll catch you in the next episode. If you know of a fellow future mama, please share this episode with her and if you're loving the podcast, hit that follow or subscribe button so that you don't miss any new episodes. For now I'm sending you lots of baby dust and I'll catch you in the next episode.