7 facts about women’s aggs and fertility

1. How many eggs does a woman have?

Women are born with all the eggs they will ever produce. On average, a woman is born with 1 to 2 million premature eggs, also called follicles. When puberty hits, the number of premature eggs is reduced to around 300.000 - 400.000 and continues to decrease with each menstrual cycle.

This is why age is the most important factor in determining female fertility: a woman in her 20´s will be in her best reproductive years compared to a woman in her 30´s.

2. Do women loose eggs every month?

During each menstrual cycle around 700 to 1.000 follicles are released, with only one evolving into an egg and all others being discarded.

In that sense, yes. Women do loose eggs every month.

3. How does age affect egg quality?

Female egg quality declines over time because irregularities during the division process are more likely to occur in older eggs. Errors during such process can result in reproductive cells containing an abnormal number of chromosomes. A normal egg contains 23 chromosomes, and anything above or below this number is considered abnormal.

If your eggs contain an abnormal number of chromosomes, you may have to consider using donor eggs to become pregnant. By following the link you can read more on why some couples use donor eggs.

4. How many eggs does a woman have at 40?

The number of eggs available in a woman at any age is affected by multiple factors such as lifestyle, smoking and drinking habits, and the total number of eggs she was born with. In that sense, the answer to this question will vary depending on each case.

5. Can you improve egg quality?

The most important part in egg quality is age, which is a hard factor to change. Women in their 20´s often have double the amount of good quality eggs than women in their mid 30´s.

However, you can do certain things to improve your overall fertility. Not smoking, not drinking, and maintaining a healthy stable weight can definetely help.

6. Can low egg quality cause Down’s Syndrome?

Unfortunately, yes. If the quality of your eggs is low, you are more likely to have a baby with abnormalities. Since egg quality is often determined by age, there is a heightened risk for women above 35 to have a child with Down’s Syndrome.

7. Can you test for low egg quality?

If you want to test the quality of your eggs, the best way is to try and fertilize it. However, testing for hormones related to egg production in your body such as the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), or Estradiol (E2) could also provide you some insights on the quality of your eggs.

Are you at that point in your life where you are ready to have a baby, and have considered using an egg donor to have your family dream come true? We are here to help you down that road. Visit our free egg donor search and see all of our different donors available!