Oocytes and Fertility: What Every Woman Should Know

Oocytes and fertility plays a very important role in a woman’s life and her ability to get pregnant. There are many factors, including the health, number, and quality of oocytes (eggs) that play a major role in natural pregnancy and assisted reproduction. This topic is important for anyone who wants to start a family. In this blog, we will explore everything about oocytes and how they affect fertility.

Dr. Rita Bakshi, Senior IVF Specialist and Gynaecologist at RISAA IVF, has guided many women through fertility issues that are related to egg quality and quantity. She has over 35 years of experience and she continues to support couples with expert advice and advanced treatment. Today, in this blog, we will explain oocytes in simple terms, how they affect fertility, and what options are available if there’s any issue.

What are Oocytes?

Oocytes are the female reproductive cells which are also known as eggs. They are stored in a woman’s ovaries and are present from birth. One mature oocyte is released through a process called ovulation during the menstrual cycle. If this egg meets a healthy sperm then it can lead to pregnancy.

Oocytes are very special because they carry half of the genetic material that are needed to make a baby. The other half comes from the male sperm. A woman is born with all the oocytes she will ever have. However the number and quality of these eggs naturally go down over time. This is why oocytes play a very important role in fertility, especially as a woman gets older.

Why are Oocytes Important for Fertility?

Oocytes and fertility are closely connected because oocytes (eggs) play a very important role to get pregnant. A healthy egg must be combined with a healthy sperm to make a baby. If the egg is not healthy or if there are not enough eggs then it can be harder to get pregnant.

A woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have and their number and quality slowly go down with age. If the eggs are too few or not healthy then the chances of pregnancy also becomes low. This is why having good oocytes is very important for any woman who wants to have a baby.

How Does Age Affect Oocyte Quality and Quantity?

The number and health of a woman’s oocytes (eggs) slowly decrease as they grow older. Girls are born with a fixed number of eggs and these eggs do not increase over time. Each month, a woman loses many eggs, and this continues as she ages.

The number of eggs drops faster after the age of 30 and more after 35. Additionally, the egg quality also goes down as women age. This means the remaining eggs may not work as well or may have a higher chance of problems. Poor egg quality can make it difficult to get pregnant. This may also lead to issues like miscarriage or genetic disorders in the baby. That’s why age is such an important part of oocytes and fertility. It’s important to know how age affects egg quantity and egg quality to help women plan for pregnancy.

Common Reasons for Poor Egg Health

Egg health plays an important role in getting pregnant. If the eggs are not healthy then it can be difficult for fertilization to happen or for a healthy pregnancy to continue. There are many women who face poor egg health due to different reasons. So, it’s important to understand what can affect it.

Here are some common reasons for poor egg health:

• Age
• Smoking
• Poor diet
• Stress
• Pollution and toxins
• Medical conditions
• Lack of sleep or exercise

Tests to Check Oocyte Health and Reserve

Doctors check the health and number of oocytes a woman has left to understand oocytes and fertility. This is called checking the ovarian reserve and egg quality. 

Some common tests to check oocyte health and reserve include the following:

• Blood tests for hormone levels: Doctors measure hormones like Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and Estradiol. These hormone levels help to know about the number of oocytes left and how well the ovaries are working.
• Ultrasound scan: This is a special ultrasound which is known as an antral follicle count (AFC). It helps to count the small follicles (egg sacs) in the ovaries and also helps to estimate the number of oocytes that are available.
• Ovarian volume check: Doctors may also look at the size of the ovaries during the ultrasound. Smaller ovaries can indicate that there are fewer oocytes available.

How to Preserve Fertility for the Future?

Fertility preservation increases our chances and helps to have children later in life. This is important for many women who want to delay pregnancy due to personal reasons, health concerns, or career plans. There are many medical methods that are available to save eggs or reproductive tissues when they are still healthy.

Here are some common ways to preserve fertility:

• Oocyte (Egg) Freezing: It helps to collect and freeze eggs to use later when you are ready for pregnancy.
• Embryo Freezing: This method helps to fertilize eggs with sperm and freeze the embryos for future use.
• Ovarian Tissue Freezing: In this method, small pieces of ovarian tissue are frozen and this helps to restore fertility later.
• Healthy Lifestyle: It’s very important to eat balanced food, avoid smoking and alcohol, manage stress, and exercise regularly.
• Regular Health Check-ups: Consult your doctor to check your reproductive health to catch any issues early.

Oocytes in IVF and Other Fertility Treatments

Oocytes are also called eggs, which are very important in IVF and other fertility treatments. These eggs come from a woman’s ovaries and are needed to start a pregnancy. If a healthy sperm joins with a healthy egg then it can turn into a baby.

Doctors give hormone injections to help the woman’s body to make more eggs in IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). When the eggs are ready then they are taken out through a small and safe procedure. This step is called oocyte retrieval in IVF. After retrieval, the eggs are mixed with sperm in a lab to help form an embryo. Then, the best embryo is placed back into the uterus to try for pregnancy.

Oocytes are also used in other treatments:

• In ICSI, one sperm is directly put into one egg.
• In egg donation, eggs from another woman are used if someone cannot use her own.
• Egg freezing, in this procedure eggs are saved and stored to use later in life.

When Should You Worry About Your Egg Health?

It’s important to understand the connection between oocytes and fertility for women who are planning to have children in the future. Oocytes, or eggs, play a very important role in conception and their quality and quantity naturally decline with age. This decline can make it more difficult to get pregnant or maintain a healthy pregnancy.

It’s advisable to consult a fertility specialist if you:

• Are over 35 and have been trying to conceive for six months without getting success.
• Experience irregular or absent menstrual cycles.
• Have medical conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or thyroid disorders.
• Have undergone treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
• Plan to delay pregnancy and want to manage your current fertility status.

At Risaa IVF, one of the top IVF centre in Delhi, Dr. Rita Bakshi and her experienced team offer complete knowledge to assess egg health and provide guidance. So, it’s very important to understand your reproductive health early to make better decisions about your fertility journey.

Closing Line

Oocytes and fertility are very important to understand because egg quality and quantity directly affect a woman’s ability to conceive. In this blog, we’ve discussed what oocytes are, why they matter for fertility, how age and health impact egg quality, and what steps you can take to preserve your fertility for the future. These topics can help you to make better choices when planning a family.

At RISAA IVF, Dr. Rita Bakshi (Senior IVF Specialist and Gynaecologist) has helped many women to understand and improve their egg health through personalized fertility care. If you’re concerned about your oocyte reserve or need expert advice, feel free to reach out. Call us at 95555 44421/22/23 or email [email protected]. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• Can you improve oocyte quality naturally?

Yes, healthy eating, regular exercise, enough sleep, and avoiding smoking or alcohol can support better egg quality.

• How many oocytes is good for IVF?

Around 10 to 15 mature oocytes are considered ideal, but even fewer eggs can work if they’re of good quality.

• Are eggs and oocytes the same?

Yes. “Oocyte” is the medical term for an egg before it’s fully mature.

• How does egg affect fertility?

Fertility depends on both egg quality and quantity. Better eggs improve the chances of getting pregnant.

• Is 2 eggs enough for IVF?

Yes, sometimes even 2 good eggs can lead to a successful pregnancy in IVF.

• What is the minimum egg size to get pregnant?

An egg size of 18–22 mm is usually ideal for fertilization.