Author: Dr Irfana Koita | Published: 8 December 2025
What is Egg Quality?
Understanding egg quality and fertility matters because the proportion of genetically normal eggs falls sharply with age. Research on meiotic spindle formation found that around 17% of eggs from women aged 20 to 25 showed abnormal chromosome alignment, compared to roughly 79% of eggs from women aged 40 to 45 (Advanced Fertility Centre of Chicago). This is why the number of eggs collected matters far less than how many of them are chromosomally normal.
Why Does Egg Quality Decline with Age?
This natural drop in egg quality and fertility outcomes is closely tracked through Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels, which reflect ovarian reserve. A 2025 cohort study of nearly 23,000 women found median AMH falls from approximately 3.3 ng/mL at age 25 to 2.5 ng/mL at 30, 1.4 ng/mL at 35, and just 0.5 ng/mL by age 40 (PMC cohort study). The same study found diminished ovarian reserve affects 24.3% of women at 30, rising to 45.7% at 35 and 73% by 40, which is why fertility preservation is recommended during the late 20s or early 30s, when eggs remain healthiest.
Why Egg Quality Affects Egg Freezing Success
That's why learning how to improve egg quality before a freezing cycle can make a measurable difference to your results. In the UK, the average age at which women freeze their eggs is 35, while the average age of thaw is 40 (HFEA), and most patients under 38 have between 7 and 14 eggs collected per cycle. Because egg quantity plateaus in a single cycle, the genetic quality of those eggs becomes the deciding factor in whether a future thaw results in a live birth.
How to Improve Egg Quality Naturally
Improving egg quality starts with the basics: nutrition, movement, sleep, and reducing environmental toxin exposure. Each directly influences the cellular health of maturing eggs, since the mitochondria inside an egg generate the energy needed for proper chromosome separation during maturation.
CoQ10 has the strongest evidence base of these. A randomised controlled trial found that adding CoQ10 to egg culture reduced cancelled embryo transfers due to poor development from 22.89% in the control group to 8.33% in the CoQ10 group, and laboratory studies recorded egg maturation rates rising from 48.9% to 75.7% with CoQ10 supplementation (systematic review, Annals of Medicine). Typical research dosing ranges from 200 mg daily for general use up to 600 mg daily for women with diminished ovarian reserve, though clinical pregnancy rates have not shown the same consistent improvement, so this should be discussed with your fertility team rather than self-prescribed.
How to Test Egg Quality and Ovarian Reserve
Before freezing, understand how to test egg quality so you can make informed decisions about timing and treatment. No single test gives a complete picture, but a combination of the following provides a reliable baseline. None of these tests measures genetic quality directly. They estimate ovarian reserve, which is a proxy that becomes less reliable as a quality indicator once a woman passes her mid-30s, when egg quantity and quality decline at different rates.
AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) Test
As a general reference, median AMH levels reported across a large 2025 cohort study were approximately 3.3 ng/mL at age 25, 2.5 ng/mL at 30, 1.4 ng/mL at 35, and 0.5 ng/mL at 40 (PMC). These figures vary by laboratory and testing method, so your fertility specialist should interpret results rather than comparing them directly to a chart.
AFC (Antral Follicle Count) Ultrasound
AFC is another key egg quality test that complements AMH results and helps clinicians estimate how many eggs a stimulation cycle is likely to retrieve.
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)
While FSH alone is not a definitive egg quality test, it adds context when combined with AMH and AFC results. A day 3 FSH above 10 IU/L generally signals reduced ovarian reserve, though FSH can fluctuate cycle to cycle in ways AMH does not, which is why clinicians rarely rely on it in isolation.
When Should You Consider Egg Testing for Fertility?
Egg testing for fertility is worth considering even if you are not planning to freeze immediately. Women in their late 20s and early 30s can benefit from a baseline assessment to understand where they stand. If you have a family history of early menopause, endometriosis, or have undergone chemotherapy, early egg testing for fertility becomes especially important.
Knowing your numbers early gives you time to act, whether that means freezing sooner, adjusting lifestyle factors, or simply having the information for future planning. Your fertility specialist can walk you through the combination of blood tests and ultrasound described above, and recommend next steps based on your individual results.
Book Your Free Advisory Call Today
If you’re ready to take control of your fertility journey, there’s no better time to start. Whether you’re just beginning to explore Egg Freezing or want to understand how to Freeze your Egg Quality at its best, expert support from our team can make the process simple and empowering.
Book your free fertility advisory call today to:
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Discover your current fertility potential through AMH testing
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Learn how to enhance egg quality naturally
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Plan a timeline for egg freezing that works for your life
Your fertility is your future — and your future self will thank you for investing in it today.
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