The egg cell (ovum) is a single cell structure that, when fertilized by a sperm, can develop into an embryo. When women are born, they are born with all the eggs they will ever have. In fact, when your grandmother was pregnant with your mother, the female egg that would become you was inside your mother already. As a result, women have a limited number of eggs available to them. These female egg cells can be an essential factor to consider when investigating your fertility and reproductive health, as both the quantity and the quality can decline over time. Knowing the health of your ova and the number you have is crucial for family planning.
Egg Development: From Fetal Life to Birth
At around twenty weeks of gestation, a female fetus has roughly 6-7 million oocytes. An oocyte is an immature egg cell. By the time of birth, the numbers have decreased to about 1-2 million. This is because of atresia (the process of ovarian follicles degenerating and dying, along with the eggs inside of them). Atresia can sound concerning, but it is not something to worry about, and is a very normal process.
Egg Count Through Different Life Stages
So, how many eggs does a woman have? Listed below are the numbers of eggs a woman typically has at various stages of her development. However, these are averages. In truth, there will be fluctuations between individuals. Take this as a rough guide.
Puberty
By the time a woman hits puberty, she will have between 300,000-500,000 eggs left. At this time, the ovarian eggs are maturing, ready to be released during ovulation, a key event in the menstrual cycle.
How many eggs does a woman have in her 20s?
By the time a woman reaches her twenties, she will have between 150,000-300,000 ovary eggs. For some women, egg supplies may have been halved in their twenties.
How many eggs does a woman have in her 30s?
The thirties is when a significant decline in the number of eggs begins, with most women having between 25,000-100,000 eggs left. These numbers can sound concerning if you are TTC in your thirties, but remember, quality is just as important as quantity.
How many eggs does a woman have in her 40s?
By the time a woman reaches her forties, there will be about 5,000-10,000 eggs left in her ovaries.
Menopause
Once a woman hits menopause and menstruation ceases, there will be fewer than one thousand eggs left in her ovaries.
How Many Eggs Are Lost Each Month?
Most people may think that a woman only loses a single ovum a month when she ovulates. That’s not true. Atresia is the main cause of egg loss, and there’s nothing to be done about it. Each month, a woman will lose roughly 1000 eggs through atresia. This means you can’t stop or slow down the loss by stopping the menstrual cycle.
You might have also heard other myths, like egg freezing reduces your future fertility (it does not, and the human ovum isn’t damaged during these procedures, nor is the reproductive system of a woman); or on the other end of the spectrum that egg freezing means you are guaranteed a pregnancy in the future (which is not the case as freezing only locks in the quality to be used later and it cannot protect against other factors).
There are a lot of myths around egg loss, and stopping that loss, so speaking to your fertility expert can help reduce confusion.
Can You Get Pregnant With Fewer Eggs?
If you are TTC, this can be a big concern, and some medical professionals may stress egg counts. This can leave some people who are on their fertility journey to focus on this number. However, the quality of eggs is as important as, or more important than, the quantity of eggs. This is why procedures like egg freezing can be so crucial for fertility, as it preserves that quality. If you are still investigating your fertility options and want to focus more on natural conception, there are still things that can be done even with lower reserves.
For women who are TTC, optimizing ovulation timing and finding their fertile window can be somewhat tricky. There’s no shame in using technology to help you monitor your hormones, especially if you have a condition such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Cycle tracking tools like the Mira Hormone Monitor and Mira Wands can do just that. You use the wands to monitor your hormones, then the monitor sends the information to the Mira App. From there, you can see where you are in your cycle and exactly when your fertile window is.
Factors Influencing Egg Quantity and Quality
There is a combination of factors that can affect a woman's egg quantity and quality. Some of these factors are:
Age
The primary factor is your age. This affects both the quantity and quality of eggs. This is why pregnancies with advanced maternal age are generally considered higher risk. Please keep in mind, though, that this is not the only factor, and those over the age of 35 who get pregnant can have a completely normal pregnancy.
Smoking
Tobacco and related products are known for accelerating egg loss. This is because smoking damages genetic material, affecting egg quantity and quality, as well as disrupting normal ovarian and hormonal processes.
Chemotherapy and radiation
If you have a condition that requires chemotherapy, it can already be a daunting time, let alone when you’re also considering your fertility journey. Chemotherapy can, unfortunately, significantly reduce your egg count, as can radiation. While this will never be an ideal situation, the most important factor will be your recovery. If you are concerned, speak to your fertility expert to discuss your options and how this will affect your fertility journey.
Environmental toxins
There is some evidence that environmental toxins can affect your egg health. This is not a call for anyone to shut themselves away and not leave their home to protect their egg quality! However, there are sensible precautions that you can take as an individual if you live in a highly polluted area, such as having an air purifier in your home or wearing a mask if the area you live in has smog.
Medical conditions
Understandably, the conditions that affect your menstrual cycle can play a part in egg health and quantity. Endometriosis and autoimmune disorders, for example, can affect egg quality due to the inflammation that comes with these conditions. Gentle cycle support can be of help in easing this condition, which can even be brought in through what you eat. Vitamins, like the Mira Prenatal Vitamins, are a good source of micronutrient support that your eggs and fertility need, but so are anti-inflammatory foods and drinks like tea. There are some teas even designed to help your cycle, such as the Mira Fertility Tea, that can give you the gentle support you need while you manage your condition.
The other well-known culprit for affecting egg quality is PCOS. This is a condition that affects fertility not through inflammation, but through hormonal dysregulation. Getting the right hormonal support and the right nutrients can ease its effects. For example, the Mira PCOS Supplements provide the cycle and hormone support needed to re-regulate the menstrual cycle and reduce PCOS’s effects on egg quality.
How to Test Ovarian Reserve
There are tests that you can do at home or a medical professional can conduct for you. These measure the hormone levels related to a woman’s egg supply, such as Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), a hormone that can indicate your egg reserve levels.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is a hormone involved in the development of eggs, specifically. When looking at test results, the level of FSH can indicate low ovarian function, which may indicate declining follicle counts.
Combining the results of an AMH test and an FSH test can help indicate to you or your healthcare provider where you stand in terms of your egg reserve.
AMH can be tested at home with tests like the Panorama Lab Test or at a medical facility. While previously at-home tests were not as accurate, this is no longer the case, and you should feel comfortable taking the test in whatever way suits you.
An Antral Follicle Count (AFC) is an ultrasound assessment of the egg follicles. This can help your fertility expert understand how your eggs are developing, identify any medical conditions that may be affecting them, and assess the impact on both your egg quantity and quality.
Fertility Implications and Options
On your fertility journey, there will be many options to consider, especially if you are concerned about your egg quantity. If you wish to try natural conception, the likelihood of success decreases with age. This is not a death knell for your chances of conceiving, but it is something to consider during family planning.
At the end of the day, your fertility journey will be uniquely yours, and there is no wrong way to get pregnant. It’s always important that you have a supportive healthcare provider who understands your needs and can help you navigate the process and understand your options.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and egg freezing are also useful ways to help fertility. Neither is a guarantee of a pregnancy later. There are always unique circumstances from one egg to another, from one woman to another, and from one pregnancy to another.
Does Birth Control Preserve Your Eggs?
Not in the way that you might hope it does. While birth control can suppress ovulation, it can’t stop atresia. This means you won’t lose the single egg that would otherwise be released through ovulation and menstruation, but you will still lose the 1,000 or so eggs atresia takes each month.
Can You Increase Your Egg Count?
Unfortunately, there is no way for a woman to increase her egg count. As mentioned, though, the quantity is not the only defining factor. You do have some level of control over the quality of your eggs. According to the Cleveland Clinic, if you can eat well, take your vitamins, stop smoking, and get regular exercise, then you can start to improve the quality of your eggs.
Conclusion
In short, women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, with declining quantity and quality as they age. All hope is not lost, though, as there are ways for you to monitor and improve your egg quality. From at-home tests to getting the help of a fertility expert, there are ways for you to see how many eggs you have and how good your eggs are. Finding the right support for your fertility is always the most important part of the journey, especially finding a fertility expert who understands the struggles that lower egg reserves can cause and helps to interpret any test results you have.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, the Mira Hormone Health Clinic has fertility experts who can give you the one-to-one support you need. Support groups and online forums are also a good place to find other women who have been through the same fertility struggles and can be excellent sources of information (or good shoulders to cry on). In the end, there is no wrong way to go about your fertility journey as long as you feel healthy, safe, and empowered to make the decisions you and your family need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are women born with all their eggs?
Yes, women are born with around 1-2 million eggs, and there is no way to create more.
How many eggs does a woman produce each month?
Women don’t produce eggs. They’re born with all the eggs they’ll ever have.
How many eggs are released during ovulation?
One egg is released during ovulation (although in very rare cases, two or more might be released); however, around 1,000 are lost through a process called atresia (the process of ovarian follicles degenerating and dying, along with the eggs inside them).
