Preparing for the egg freezing procedure should require attention to lifestyle choices. A balanced diet, essential supplements, and avoiding factors like alcohol and smoking are key considerations for optimizing fertility and success in the journey ahead.
Food
Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet in the period prior to undergoing the egg freezing procedure is important. Eating more nutritious food, such as meals that are rich in protein, have high fiber, and low carbohydrates can improve the chances of producing viable oocytes that are eligible for cryopreservation. Carbohydrates can cause a shift of fluid into the cells and out of the circulation, which can have dehydrating effects on the body. It is important for patients to have adequate water intake, reduce processed sugars, and get the proper vitamins and nutrients from a healthy diet.
Supplements
While most of the essential vitamins and minerals come from a patient’s regular diet, sometimes supplements can assist in filling any nutritional gaps. Physicians might recommend that the patients take prenatal vitamins, some antioxidants, vitamin C, and CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This coenzyme plays a key role in ensuring that cells receive adequate energy (in the form of ATP) while also neutralizing any free radicals that cause damage to cells, similar to what antioxidants do. The ATP levels in the body start to decline with age, so this supplement can assist in boosting ATP levels for oocytes to mature. Prenatal vitamins are formulated to contain many of the substances, such as folic acid, vitamin B12, and zinc, that protect the eggs during maturation. Vitamin C is found in citric fruits like lemons, tangerines, and oranges, but it can be hard to get enough through diet alone. Supplements can have possible interactions with food or other medications, and may alter lab results or become toxic in high doses. Supplements that have been tested by third parties are usually higher quality and are free of harmful contaminants or undeclared ingredients.
Alcohol, Smoking, and Oxidative Stress
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are small, highly reactive, oxygen-containing molecules that are generated in small amounts in the body and interact with natural cellular processes like DNA replication, immune processes, cell repair, etc. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of these reactive oxygen species and the body’s ability to detoxify them, leading to damage in the body. Alcohol promotes the generation of ROS and negatively impacts the body’s normal defense mechanisms, especially in the liver. Alcohol has also been shown to reduce antioxidant levels, molecules which eliminate these oxidative species. Studies have shown that increased oxidative stress correlated with decreased ovarian reserves, fewer oocytes retrieved, and a lower rate of obtaining high quality embryos. While it is safe to drink alcohol in moderation during this procedure, limiting alcohol intake in the short term period prior to egg retrieval is of benefit.
Cigarettes and smoking are never recommended, but especially not during the egg freezing process as they are shown to negatively impact fertility and greatly increase the amount of toxic ROS in the body. Smoking is also shown to increase the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a potentially serious complication of the egg freezing process. These lifestyle factors, along with mental strain or excessive physical stress on the body, can affect egg quality during the development of the stages of the follicles and extraction. It is important that women focus on their day to day decisions in order to optimize their health for the best chance of success in this journey.
Dr. Jesse Hade is a compassionate and dedicated board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist with over 20 years of private practice experience. As one of the leading experts in fertility, Dr. Hade has mentored and trained many physicians currently in practice throughout the country and is an award-winning physician with numerous research studies.
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