Your egg quality isn't doomed after 30
3 ways to support egg quality (and why this matters even if you aren't trying to get pregnant)
If you’re over 30 and want to make sure your eggs are kickin’’ well into the next decade of your life (which supports overall hormone balance on top of pregnancy), read on.
More women are delaying marriage and family to focus on themselves and their careers. A recent study shows that first-time parenthood at age 40 and over is becoming more common, and for the first time, the number of women giving birth after 40 has surpassed the number of teen pregnancies.
truly insanity
Society loves to remind us that we have a ticking biological clock… and while that’s not entirely wrong, it’s also incomplete. There will be a day when our ovaries stop producing eggs. IVF and other advances in fertility technology are often cited as reasons women feel more comfortable delaying pregnancy. But these technologies aren’t guaranteed, and they often come with significant financial, mental, and physical burdens that aren’t widely discussed.
As I’ve talked about before, even if you can bypass your biology and get pregnant with medical assistance, that doesn’t guarantee your body will thrive during pregnancy or postpartum. In many cases, you’ve simply skipped over addressing why your body wasn’t getting pregnant naturally in the first place (with the important exception of medical conditions that truly require intervention).
What I believe this conversation misses entirely is how much control we actually have over egg quality, even into our 30s and 40s.
Everything you do today from the food you eat, the sleep you get, the stress you carry…directly impacts egg quality three to four months from now. So instead of focusing on what we can’t control, the better question is:
Which habits actually move the needle?
Here are three simple, research-backed things you can start today to support egg quality in a meaningful way.
Take an Omega-3 supplement
An estimated 76% of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re not eating fatty fish daily, chances are you fall into this category.
Omega-3s play a critical role in hormone signaling, inflammation regulation, and ovarian function. One study found that daily omega-3 supplementation for just two full menstrual cycles improved markers of ovarian reserve.
Quality matters here. Fish oil oxidizes easily, meaning poor sourcing, storage, or shipping can turn a helpful supplement into one that does more harm than good.
I always recommend purchasing supplements through a trusted dispensary like Fullscript (you’ll get 25% off your first order and 10% off ongoing orders through my dispensary).
Brands I consistently trust for omega-3s include Thorne, BodyBio, and Nordic Naturals.
Get morning light
Hormone signaling is deeply tied to circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) which is largely regulated by light exposure.
Melatonin, a hormone produced exclusively at night by the pineal gland, is a powerful antioxidant (something we don’t talk about nearly enough). Research suggests melatonin may help delay ovarian aging by supporting mitochondrial function within the ovary.
While melatonin supplements exist, you can also support natural production by getting outside first thing in the morning and exposing your eyes (no sunglasses) to natural light. This simple habit helps regulate your circadian rhythm and supports healthier hormone patterns throughout the day.
Free hormone support is always a win.
Get enough food
The more women I work with, the more convinced I am that we’re living through a quiet undernourishment crisis.
Women are busy. Breakfast gets skipped. Lunch is eaten standing up or not at all. Dinner is whatever’s left on a toddler’s plate or something quick and to-go. Even women who think they’re eating well often aren’t eating enough.
Chronic under-eating creates an environment where the body lacks the energy (calories) it needs to produce hormones. Over time, this contributes to nutrient depletion, gut dysfunction, and impaired follicle development (the very process that determines egg quality).
When follicles don’t develop optimally, estrogen and progesterone production suffer. And since these hormones are essential for ovulation, implantation, and early pregnancy, this matters more than most people realize.
One of the most powerful things you can do for your fertility and overall health is to prioritize eating enough real food, consistently. If you need support here, the Calibrated Meal Plan was designed to make this easier: simple meals, minimal thinking, maximum nourishment.
Bottom line
Eat.
Add an Omega-3 in your supplement routine.
Get outside to support your circadian rhythm.
Yes, these habits are simple. But they’re foundational, and they’re backed by research that aligns with how your biology actually works.
All the fun wellness trends you see online like cold plunges, detoxes, red light therapy - they tend to work better when these basics are in place first.
And if you’re over 30 and want to set yourself up for pregnancy success whenever you choose to start (or expand) your family, Calibrate is always here to support you.