The quality of a woman's eggs is a crucial factor in her ability to conceive naturally or using assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF. Even though a woman may hear a lot about her egg count (the quantity of her eggs), it is the quality of her eggs that determines whether fertilisation can lead to a healthy pregnancy implanting into the uterus or not. When a woman has higher-quality eggs, she has the best chances of developing an embryo, having that embryo implant to establish a pregnancy. Many women would like to know if there is a good egg quality test available and how doctors assess an individual's reproductive potential.
In this article, we discuss how to test egg quality, egg quality considerations, typical tests used for egg quality, common signs of poor egg health, and what your results mean for your journey towards parenthood.
One of the most important questions for many women who are considering becoming pregnant, naturally or with IVF, is how egg quality affects fertility. Although it is important to have enough eggs, the quality of those eggs is what actually matters when it comes to conception. Numerous tests can help evaluate egg quality, assist fertility specialists and patients in understanding the fertility potential as they undergo IVF.
Such egg quality tests tell your doctor or IVF specialist about the amount of time left to conceive and the number of mature eggs that made it past the blastocyst period of development.
Egg quality means the health of a woman’s eggs, which indicates whether or not they are fertilisable and capable of growing into a healthy baby. A good-quality egg has the right genetic material and enough endurance to support early stages of development. An unhealthy egg can be fertilised, but it won't develop correctly, making it hard to conceive or maintain a pregnancy. One of the most crucial factors in both IVF and natural conception is the quality of the egg.
Key points about egg quality:
Also Read: At what age is IVF most successful?
At present, there is no one test that can measure egg quality directly. While sperm can be viewed and measured under a microscope, eggs cannot be looked at in this way until after fertilisation to check for genetic health. Doctors cannot just look at an egg and identify whether that egg will develop into a healthy embryo.
Fertility specialists use indirect testing to provide clues regarding a woman's ovarian reserve (the number of eggs left) to assess her fertility potential. Different blood tests are done, like Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and ultrasounds can be used to examine the number of follicles growing. These tests can be useful in guiding fertility treatments, but they do not measure the quality of the egg itself.
To evaluate ovarian reserve and forecast healthy eggs, a doctor will suggest a number of additional tests. Here are the most popular techniques for evaluating the quality:
Common Egg Quality Tests | Evaluation Purpose |
---|---|
Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) | Measures ovarian reserve (egg quantity) |
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) | Evaluates ovarian function on cycle days 2–3 |
Antral Follicle Count (AFC) | Counts ovarian follicles via transvaginal ultrasound |
Estradiol (E2) Levels | Assesses estrogen levels on cycle days 2–3 |
IVF/ICSI Response | Observes egg behavior during IVF/ICSI cycles |
The AMH blood test is likely the most commonly used egg quantity test. It determines ovarian reserve (how many eggs are remaining in the ovaries).
FSH is a hormone that stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles containing the eggs. This test is done on days 2–3 of the menstrual cycle to assess ovarian function.
AFC is part of ovarian reserve testing done by transvaginal ultrasound; it is a way of counting the number of follicles in your ovaries.
Estradiol is a type of oestrogen produced by the ovaries. Blood levels of E2 are checked on cycle days 2–3.
Perhaps the most relevant way to assess egg quality in IVF is to see how eggs respond when they are stimulated in IVF or ICSI cycles. This real-time observation allows us to see directly the reproductive potential of eggs.
Even though medical tests offer a more accurate diagnosis, there are some clinical signs to watch for that could indicate declining egg health:
The egg quality declines with age, particularly after 35. While chromosomal abnormalities are common in eggs, they typically increase significantly with age.
Irregular periods can be attributed to a hormonal imbalance or other imbalances that can impact egg quality. Long or short menstrual cycles, having no periods, and having heavy or light bleeding can be signs of poor egg quality.
If a woman has had multiple IVF cycles without successfully implanting an embryo, it may indicate poor egg health.
A miscarriage occurs when an embryo is unable to continue to grow and dies in the early stages of pregnancy. The quality of an egg is critical to be able to develop into an embryo and sustain a pregnancy to term. A poor quality egg may struggle to survive, and in turn develop into a healthy embryo. This can lead to recurrent miscarriages.
While the number of eggs cannot be changed, there are some lifestyle and medical measures that may be helpful in improving egg quality and supporting good fertility.
Ways to support egg health include:
Women may require an egg quality test in the following circumstances:
Egg quality is core to fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Although there is no one perfect egg quality test, indirect measures of egg quality like AMH, FSH, scan, or IVF outcomes have become important means to evaluate ovarian health.
At Indira IVF, we provide advanced, thoughtful fertility assessments and personalised care that help women assess and improve reproductive health. Indira IVF combines medical expertise with an empathetic, supportive environment to empower women to make informed choices about their path to becoming parents.
Not exactly. There are blood tests like AMH and FSH that tell about ovarian reserve, which relates to egg quality, but they don’t specifically measure it.
There isn't just one effective egg quality test. To assess the health of an egg, doctors check for AMH, FSH, AFC, and IVF response.
AMH does not evaluate genetic quality; it measures egg quantity (reserve).
Ultrasound will show follicle count but not genetic quality. However, ultrasound does help with estimating how many eggs are available.
Yes. Better egg health can be achieved by diet, exercise, supplementation, and abstinence from alcohol and tobacco.
Women who are over 35 or who are having trouble becoming pregnant should get tested as soon as possible.
To increase the likelihood of a successful pregnancy, doctors may suggest fertility treatments like IVF + ICSI, donor eggs, or egg thawing/preservation.