Eggs are factory standard When girls are still fetuses, the oogenic cells in their bodies have already begun the difficult journey of growing into eggs, turning into primary oocytes. But instead of continuing on this journey, the pause button is pressed and stops at this period. It is not until more than a decade later, after the newborn has grown into a pudgy girl (puberty), that the primary oocytes resume the process of division, one by one, as hormone levels change. The follicles not only provide housing for the primary oocytes, but are also responsible for the nutrition of the primary oocytes. When the follicle develops into a mature follicle, it will “bang” open and spit out the primary oocyte, which is often referred to as “ovulation”. The final stage of oocyte division and maturation is actually completed after fertilization. Therefore, the difficult journey from oogenesis to the fully differentiated oocyte can take more than a decade or even fifty years for the egg. Moreover, not every oogenic cell is so lucky to develop into an egg. When a girl is still in her mother’s womb (fetal stage), the number of oogenic cells is at its maximum, which can reach 7 million; when a girl is born (neonatal stage), the primary oocytes gradually degenerate, leaving about 2 million; after puberty (reproductive age), the primary oocytes start to mature sequentially, expelling one egg per month. All in all, a woman’s eggs are fully “configured” during the fetal period, and over the course of her life, several hundred mature eggs are successfully expelled, while 99.9% of the oocytes are eliminated during this decades-long journey (reproductive age). Sperm is ordered now For males, the testes produce sperm continuously and at a constant rate. Starting at puberty, the spermatogonia in a boy’s body begin to embark on a journey to grow into spermatozoa one after another. In the case of sperm, it takes only 53 days from the start of spermatogonia development to fully differentiated sperm. The testes provide a continuous and constant supply of sperm for transport and storage in the accessory reproductive organs. This efficient and continuous process provides men with an incredible reproductive capacity. Sperm are born in the testes of men, and the process of their growth is somewhat complicated. In the testes’ varicose ducts, the primordial germ cells, the originators of sperm, are transformed into spermatogonia, which undergo mitosis and become primary spermatocytes, and one primary spermatocyte undergoes meiosis and produces four spermatozoa. But a round sperm cell is not yet able to swim through the long reproductive tract and find the egg of its choice. Therefore, the sperm cell needs to undergo a series of deformations in the epididymis, including the formation of the acrosome cap, lengthening, sperm nucleus condensation and the formation of the sperm tail or flagellum before it can go on its journey. How can I improve the quality of my eggs? Knowing how eggs are produced and mature helps us to understand what factors can affect egg quality. 1. Certain local or systemic diseases, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis, can affect egg quality and should be treated in a regular hospital. 2, bad lifestyle, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, staying up late for a long time, irregular diet may affect the quality of eggs, which is not conducive to female conception. Therefore, it is very important for women to quit smoking, drinking, regular diet, not staying up late and moderate exercise to conceive. 3. Age affects the function of the ovaries and the quality of the eggs. A woman’s fertility decreases after the age of 35. Therefore it is especially important for women to have children at the right age. Factors affecting sperm quality 1. Certain local or systemic diseases, such as retrograde ejaculation and varicocele in men, can affect sperm quality and should be treated in a regular hospital. 2, drugs, estrogen can have a significant impact on the male reproductive system, including affecting the level of androgens, triggering changes in testicular structure, causing testicular cancer, reducing the number of sperm in semen, causing gynecomastia and leading to endocrine disorders. In addition, some women’s skin care products contain a certain amount of estrogen, and men who use them for a long time can also damage male reproductive health and cause hypogonadism. In addition to the proliferation of some health products, some containing sex hormones or similar ingredients, long-term use may affect the normal sperm production function of the testicles, should be extra careful when choosing. And more intake of some vitamin C, E and some trace elements such as zinc, selenium, is conducive to the growth of male sexual function and improve the quality of sperm. 3, bad lifestyle: such as often drink caffeine, cola and other beverages, smoking, drinking, alcohol, staying up late, obesity, etc. can lead to a decline in sperm quality. So for men, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to improve sperm quality, quit smoking, quit drinking, quit beverages, eat more vegetables, eat less meat, exercise in moderation, do not stay up late, and live a regular life. 4, physical and chemical factors: high temperatures can damage the testicles, so men should try to avoid high-temperature environments (hot springs, baths) and so on. Large doses of radiation can cause changes in testicular tissue structure, increase the rate of sperm malformation, and reduce the number of sperm, sperm concentration and other important indicators. Phthalates, a chemical used for softening, are widely used in toys, food packaging, vinyl flooring, wallpaper, cleaners, lubricants, nail polish, hair sprays, soaps and shampoos, and hundreds of other products. It can interfere with endocrine secretion, reducing the number of male sperm, low motility, abnormal morphology, and can cause testicular cancer in serious cases, which is the “culprit” for male reproductive problems. Heavy metals such as lead and chromium can also be toxic to the motility and movement of sperm. During pregnancy preparation, both men and women should take care to avoid these influences that can damage reproductive cells to make the preparation for pregnancy smoother and the baby healthier.