Preconception: how long should we allow to improve egg quality?
Naturopaths are always banging on about preconception, and how we’d like a minimum of 3 months (ideally 6-12 months) to improve egg quality BEFORE conceiving. Are you wondering WHY?
Each menstrual cycle, ovaries produce 1 dominant follicle that releases 1 egg. It takes 355 days for an immature primordial follicle to develop to the ovulatory stage where it can be released, with growth split into 2 stages.
The Pre-antral Phase: around 270 days
Primordial follicles: are tiny, only 0.025 millimetres in length & cannot be seen on ultrasound. All primordial follicles are developed in utero & are dormant until we reach puberty. It takes almost 12 months for these guys to turn into an ovulatory follicle. Each menstrual cycle, the follicle that ovulates was recruited nearly a year ago!
Takes 150 days/5 months for a primordial follicle to reach the primary follicle stage.
Primary follicles: continue to develop.
Takes 120 days/4 months for a primary follicle to become a secondary follicle.
Secondary follicles: in this phase many follicles will undergo atresia/degeneration. Those that survive will be stimulated by follicle stimulating hormone & will continue developing.
Antral Phase: It takes approximately 85 days or 3 months for a secondary follicle to become the ovulatory follicle.
Antral follicles: the number of antral follicles you have each month will vary & can be seen on an ovarian ultrasound.
It takes about 50 days from the antral follicle to develop to the preovulatory stage.
Dominant follicle: it takes 15- 20 days for a dominant follicle to become the preovulatory follicle.
Pre-ovulation follicles: an egg is released at ovulation.
In a nutshell, it takes 12 months for dormant follicles to mature and be released, & this maturation process rapidly hastens in the last 85-120 days.
So while the last 3-4 months are energy intensive and the last hurrah for improving egg quality, it is important to improve egg quality while the egg is still maturing!
How long did you spend preparing in the preconception period?