The importance of egg quality cannot be stressed enough for those who are trying to conceive. However, what is often missing from standard of care, is what you can do to improve your egg quality. It Starts With The Egg, by researcher Rebecca Fett, focuses on the role of the egg and the proactive steps that women can take to give their eggs the best chance at a successful conception. Fett, a researcher with a background in molecular biology and biochemistry, set her sights on eggs following her own personal struggle with a diminishing ovarian reserve diagnosis. Poring over countless studies to unveil what scientific research showed, and distilling that research into an accessible format, Fett gave birth to It Starts With The Egg.
It is no secret that as we age, egg quality declines. Egg quality refers to an egg’s potential to become a viable pregnancy. This book highlights the inputs required during egg development, primarily a substantial amount energy is necessary to produce and release an egg, which relies heavily on mitochondria. Oxidative stress on the eggs can damage the mitochondria, diminishing the energy supply for creating a healthy egg. Apart from energy production reserves to produce an egg, the eggs must also be protected from toxins that are often found in food, kitchenware, plastics, making them prime for being absorbed by the body, and disrupting hormone balance and egg quality. Phthalates and Bisphenols (BPA’s) are two of the worst offenders. A study proved that BPA was the singular cause of egg abnormalities in mice from a study in 1998 by Dr. Patricia Hunt. Fortunately, this book comes with an online list of resources that can provide concrete ways to reduce Toxin exposure.
This book outlines underlying deficiencies that could be causing infertility, including Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and the importance of having lab tests to not only test trace minerals and vitamins, but also hormones. Your levels provide a snapshot of your health. This book is incredibly useful by providing optimal level ranges to compare your results. It Starts With The Egg takes you on a journey from understanding your results, and determining what you can do to improve your fertility status through enhancing egg and sperm quality as well as ways to support an embryo transfer. An entire section is dedicated to supplementation with vitamins, antioxidants for baseline fertility. You’ll gain confidence in the steps to take towards restoring regular ovulation and how to overcome and support conditions such as PCOS and Endometriosis, and finally how to overcome diminishing ovarian reserve. What makes It Starts with the Egg unique is that is offer practical, step-by-step approach to improving egg quality. Fett offers a range of concrete strategies that have shown promise in scientific studies.
It Starts With The Egg is complete with supplements to avoid for fertility whether it’s due to: heavy metal toxicity found in the soil in which they are typically sourced, the lack of scientific research to establish their efficacy, or whether the supplements are harmful to pregnancy, such as resveratrol.
Rebecca Fett has clearly done her research, and each study mentioned is referenced at the end of the book to further support the claims. This book was a pleasure to read as it was easy to follow and understand without having to sift through scientific jargon that can be overwhelming. Fett takes a compassionate tone, as she acknowledges the challenges and emotional toll of the fertility journey. She offers hope, instead of unrealistic promises. The actionable steps, and the scientific explanations make the book a trusted guide for anyone looking to improve their fertility.
