Golden Tips for Egg Quality
A woman’s ovaries are like a warehouse—your egg reserve is determined at birth. It doesn’t increase but gradually declines. Age 35 marks a turning point for egg quality. After 35, egg quality sharply declines. If you have other life plans, it is recommended to freeze your eggs before 35. Eggs frozen earlier have higher chances of live birth than those frozen after 35!
It takes about 90 days for a mature egg to develop and ovulate.
Start preparing your body 90 days (3 months) before the expected egg freezing cycle to improve egg quality through stable routines and good nutrition. Better eggs greatly increase the chance of success!
Egg Quantity Helps Estimate Pregnancy Success
A fertilized egg divides into a blastocyst, then continues to develop into a human being until birth.
Not every egg can become a baby. Whether fresh or thawed, eggs go through multiple steps: thawing, fertilization, embryo development, blastocyst formation, implantation, fetal development, and live birth. Each stage is a challenge, and both quality and quantity of eggs directly affect the outcome.
Not all fertilized eggs reach the blastocyst stage. Survival rate after thawing and egg quality are directly related to age. Younger eggs—even in smaller numbers—have higher chances of pregnancy.
You can estimate the chances of having a baby based on your age and number of frozen eggs:
Under 35, 20 frozen eggs → 90% live birth rate
Age 35–37, 20 eggs → 80% live birth rate
Age 38–40, 30 eggs → 70% live birth rate
Age 40–42, 30 eggs → 50% live birth rate
Age 43–44, 30 eggs → 30% live birth rate
Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?
Low AMH levels
Under 40 with no fertility plans
Family history of premature ovarian failure
Women with gynecological conditions
Before chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Partner diagnosed with azoospermia
Pre-Freeze Tests
AMH
Indicates ovarian reserve
CA125
Tumor marker to evaluate conditions like endometriosis or fibroids
Ultrasound
Track number and maturity of follicles
Nutritional Tips for Better Egg Quality
Gelatinous foods (estrogen balance)
okra, yam, wood ear mushrooms, algae, pork skin, pork knuckles, bird’s nest
Vegetables (folate, Vit A, B2, iron)
spinach, loofah, bok choy, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, pumpkin
Proteins (support follicle growth)
eggs, salmon, milk, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, shrimp
Fruits (vitamin C)
mango, papaya, custard apple, red guava, longan, kiwi, jujube
Legumes (vitamin E, B6)
red beans, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, black beans, edamame
Growing a healthy egg takes time—not just about “good food,” but the right food, in the right amounts, for a sustained period.
Note: Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking supplements
Coenzyme Q10｜ Helps maintain ovarian function and improve egg quality. It naturally decreases with age; timely supplementation may improve IVF pregnancy rates.
Food sources:
Plants: Soybeans, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.
Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, etc.
Animal products: Mackerel, sardines, tuna, beef, chicken, etc.
Nuts: Peanuts, walnuts, cashews, etc.
Folic Acid｜ Also known as Vitamin B9. It aids in the formation of red blood cells, nucleic acids, and nucleoproteins. It supports proper fetal development and reduces the risk of congenital anomalies, making it one of the essential nutrients from preconception to pregnancy.
Food sources:
Dark green vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, etc.
Fruits, nuts, animal liver, and eggs.
Resveratrol｜ A powerful antioxidant that can improve egg quality. It has good anti-inflammatory effects, especially for women with endometriosis.
Food sources:
Red wine, grapes.
Vitamin D3｜ Enhances sperm and egg quality, improves ovarian function, and helps couples undergoing fertility treatment achieve higher pregnancy and IVF success rates.
Food sources:
Animal-based foods such as salmon, sardines, sea bream, egg yolk, dried shrimp, cod liver oil, beef liver, cheese, and fortified milk.
DHEA｜ A precursor to sex hormones. Studies show that women with poor ovarian response undergoing IVF may obtain more eggs and experience increased fertilization and pregnancy rates after supplementation.
Food source:
Yam.
Vitamin E｜ A fat-soluble vitamin that promotes blood circulation and prevents aging. It helps improve endometrial thickness. According to a 2014 study, supplementation can shorten the time needed to achieve pregnancy.
Food source:
Mainly plant oils, followed by nuts, legumes, and dark green vegetables.
Common Egg Freezing Q&A
There are long-acting and short-acting stimulation injections. The doctor will determine the appropriate protocol based on each individual’s condition. A single long-acting injection may cover up to seven days, while short-acting ones require daily administration. Both types can be used together.
Currently, most stimulation medications are administered subcutaneously, which greatly reduces discomfort. Self-injection at home is possible. For those who are afraid, the clinic’s nurses can assist with no additional fee.
The procedure is typically scheduled between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM, lasting around 20–40 minutes depending on the number of eggs. Patients must fast and avoid drinking water for 8 hours prior.
The procedure is performed under sedation, using transvaginal ultrasound guidance to retrieve eggs. After about an hour of monitoring, patients may return home—hospitalization is not required, but a day off work is recommended.
Only a small puncture wound is left, requiring no stitches. Since the procedure is done under sedation, most patients feel as though they simply had a nap. Some may experience mild cramps or bloating, similar to a menstrual period.
Generally, egg freezing has minimal impact on the body and does not cause long-term side effects.
However, women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) may respond more strongly to the medication and risk developing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). In such cases, doctors will adjust the medication dosage to reduce risks.
A woman’s ovarian reserve is fixed from birth. During each menstrual cycle, multiple eggs begin to mature, but without medication, typically only 1–2 eggs fully develop. Fertility medication simply helps rescue those that would otherwise be lost in that cycle. Therefore, it does not reduce future eggs or hasten menopause.
Currently, Huayu’s thawed egg survival rate is over 94%.
While the freezing process could potentially affect eggs, current data shows no significant difference in birth defect rates between babies born from frozen and fresh eggs.
When stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, the duration of freezing does not negatively affect egg quality.
Vitrification is a highly developed technique. Once retrieved, eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C.
According to Taiwan’s Artificial Reproduction Act, eggs can be stored up to 10 years. For example, eggs frozen at 33 can be kept until age 43.
If a woman still doesn’t plan to conceive by then, she may sign a new storage agreement to extend the freezing period. (Note: frozen embryos are also subject to a maximum 10-year limit.)
