What is Egg?
💡 An egg (oocyte) is the female reproductive cell stored in the ovaries. Non-renewable supply: ~1–2 million at birth, ~400 ovulated in a lifetime. Quality (chromosomal integrity) declines with age — especially after 35. IVF retrieves multiple eggs after hormonal stimulation. Egg freezing preserves fertility.
In fertility medicine, "egg" refers to the female reproductive cell — the oocyte — produced and stored in the ovaries. A woman is born with all her eggs; the supply declines continuously with age and cannot be replenished. Egg quality and quantity are the two primary determinants of female fertility.
🇮🇳 India Context: Egg is widely assessed and treated across major Indian fertility centres including Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
What are the key characteristics of Egg?
- Non-renewable: women are born with all their eggs — unlike sperm, no new eggs are produced after birth
- Supply at birth: ~1–2 million; at puberty ~300,000–400,000; declines continuously through atresia
- Only one egg is ovulated per natural cycle; IVF stimulation recruits multiple eggs simultaneously
- Only a mature egg (MII oocyte) can be fertilised — immature eggs (GV, MI) cannot
- Egg quality = chromosomal integrity: aneuploidy rate rises with age — ~20% at 30, ~60% at 40, ~80%+ at 43+
- AMH blood test and antral follicle count (AFC) on ultrasound measure egg reserve (quantity)
- Egg freezing (vitrification): preserves unfertilised eggs for future use — recommended before chemotherapy or for fertility preservation
- Donor eggs: used when own egg quality/quantity is insufficient — highest IVF success rates of any ART category
How does Egg work?
Why does Egg matter in fertility?
Egg quality is the single most important factor in female fertility and the primary driver of age-related IVF success decline. This is why IVF success rates are strongly age-dependent — not because of the uterus, but because of the chromosomal integrity of eggs. Women using donor eggs (from a younger donor) achieve live birth rates of 50–60% per transfer, regardless of the recipient's age — directly demonstrating that egg quality, not uterine age, is the limiting factor. In India, egg freezing is increasingly available and relevant for women delaying childbearing due to career, medical treatment, or personal circumstances. AMH testing provides a quantitative measure of remaining egg reserve and guides the urgency of fertility treatment decisions.
What are related terms to Egg?
Oocyte
An oocyte is the female reproductive cell — the egg — produced by the ovaries. A…
Ovulation
Ovulation is the release of a mature oocyte (egg) from a dominant ovarian follic…
Egg Retrieval (Oocyte Pick-Up)
Egg Retrieval (also called Oocyte Pick-Up or OPU) is a minor surgical procedure …
Fertilization
Fertilization is the biological process in which a single sperm cell penetrates …
AMH Test (Anti-Müllerian Hormone)
The AMH Test is a simple blood test that measures the level of Anti-Müllerian Ho…
Low Ovarian Reserve (Diminished Ovarian Reserve)
Low Ovarian Reserve means a woman has fewer eggs than expected for her age. It i…
FAQs about Egg
What happens to your eggs as you age?
Two things: quantity declines continuously through atresia (from ~400,000 at puberty to <1,000 at menopause), and quality (chromosomal integrity) declines steeply after 35. Aneuploidy rate: ~20% at 30, ~40% at 37, ~60% at 40, ~80%+ at 43. The quality decline — causing failed implantation and miscarriage — is the primary fertility challenge of age.
How many eggs does a woman have at 35?
Approximately 25,000–30,000 eggs at age 35, declining to ~10,000 by 40 and <1,000 at menopause. However, quantity matters less than quality — most eggs at any age are chromosomally abnormal (aneuploid) and cannot produce a viable pregnancy. AMH blood test and AFC (antral follicle count ultrasound) measure remaining egg reserve.
What is the egg freezing success rate in India?
With modern vitrification: egg survival on thaw 80–90%. Pregnancy rate per thaw and transfer cycle: 30–50% (under 35), declining with age of freezing. Best results when eggs are frozen before age 35. Leading Indian fertility centres (Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi) offer egg freezing for ₹80,000–₹1,50,000 per cycle including retrieval and storage.
How are eggs retrieved in IVF?
Egg retrieval (follicle aspiration) is a minor surgical procedure under IV sedation. A transvaginal ultrasound probe with a fine needle aspirates follicular fluid from each follicle. Takes 15–20 minutes. Typically 8–15 eggs retrieved after stimulation. The embryologist identifies mature (MII) oocytes from the aspirated fluid for fertilisation.
What is a donor egg IVF?
Donor egg IVF uses eggs from a young healthy donor (typically 21–30 years old) fertilised with the recipient's partner's sperm, with the resulting embryo transferred to the recipient's uterus. Success rates: 50–60% per transfer, regardless of recipient age. Used when own eggs are insufficient: premature ovarian failure, poor reserve, repeated IVF failure, advanced age.
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