· By Amy Suzanne Upchurch, Founder + CEO of Pink Stork, Certified Health Coach, INHC
Does CoQ10 Support Egg Quality? Here's What the Research Shows
Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or while managing a medical condition.
A randomized controlled trial found that CoQ10 pretreatment before IVF improved the number of eggs retrieved, fertilization rates, and embryo quality in women with diminished ovarian reserve. It did not find a statistically significant increase in clinical pregnancy or live birth rates, which is an important distinction: the research supports CoQ10's role in egg and embryo quality markers, not a confirmed increase in pregnancy outcomes.
Why egg quality, not just egg count, is the longevity conversation women aren't having early enough
Most conversations about fertility and age focus on egg count, how many eggs remain in the ovarian reserve. Egg quality is a separate and arguably more actionable conversation, because it relates to how well an egg's cellular machinery, particularly its mitochondria, functions. Mitochondria are the energy-producing structures inside cells, and mitochondrial function in eggs is understood to decline with age, which is part of why fertility researchers have looked at antioxidant support like CoQ10 as a possible lever.
What a randomized controlled trial found about CoQ10 and ovarian response
A randomized controlled trial pretreated women under 35 with poor ovarian reserve with CoQ10 for 60 days before IVF, comparing outcomes to a group that received no pretreatment.1 The CoQ10 group saw a higher number of retrieved oocytes, a higher fertilization rate, and more high-quality embryos than the comparison group. The study also found significantly fewer cancelled embryo transfers due to poor embryo development in the CoQ10 group, at 8.33 percent compared with 22.89 percent.1
Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates trended higher in the CoQ10 group in this trial, but the difference did not reach statistical significance.1 A later 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of CoQ10 pretreatment trials in women with diminished ovarian reserve reached a similar conclusion, finding improvement in intermediate reproductive markers without a confirmed effect on live birth.2 That distinction matters: CoQ10 appears to support the biological building blocks of a good egg and embryo, but the research has not yet confirmed it raises the odds of a baby at the end of the process.
"What are the things that you can gain from optimizing your health?"
— Dr. Tosin Odunsi, MD, MPH, FACOG, Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician
How CoQ10 is thought to work at the mitochondrial level
CoQ10 supports healthy mitochondrial energy production in eggs and ovarian reserve.† The proposed mechanism is fairly intuitive: an egg cell needs a substantial amount of cellular energy to mature properly and support early embryo development, and CoQ10 plays a role in that energy production process. The National Institutes of Health notes that CoQ10 levels in the body naturally decline with age, which is part of the biological rationale for supplementation as women get older.3
Where CoQ10 fits into a preconception nutrient routine
Premium Fertility Gummies includes Coenzyme Q10 (100 mg), alongside 12 other fertility-focused nutrients including Myo-Inositol, Selenium, and Methylated Folate, as part of our 13 key fertility ingredients, backed by our OBGYN-Led Advisory Board.† For readers connecting egg quality to broader ovarian hormone signaling rather than antioxidant support alone, Myo Chiro 40:1, formulated to support healthy hormone signaling and ovarian health† is a natural complement.
Premium Fertility Gummies is not for use during pregnancy, and we do not claim it improves clinical pregnancy or live birth rates. The claim stays scoped to what the research actually supports: mitochondrial energy support in eggs as part of a broader fertility-focused nutrient routine.
"Every stage of trying to conceive matters, even the quiet nutrient-building months before you see two pink lines. That is faith and science working together."
— Amy Suzanne Upchurch, Founder and CEO of Pink Stork
What the research doesn't yet confirm
It's worth being direct about the limits here. The available randomized controlled trial and the meta-analysis that followed it show improvement in intermediate markers, oocyte numbers, fertilization rates, embryo quality, without a statistically confirmed increase in live birth rates.1,2 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that evaluating infertility involves many interacting factors beyond egg quality alone, including sperm health, tubal patency, and uterine factors, which is a useful reminder that no single nutrient is likely to be the whole story.4
For related reading, see our guides on whether myo-inositol actually works for fertility and how long it takes to get pregnant after stopping birth control, or browse our full fertility and cycle support collection.
Frequently asked questions
Does CoQ10 improve egg quality?
Research shows CoQ10 pretreatment improved oocyte numbers, fertilization rates, and embryo quality markers in a randomized controlled trial of women with diminished ovarian reserve, though it did not significantly improve clinical pregnancy or live birth rates.1
Does CoQ10 increase your chances of getting pregnant?
The available research does not confirm this. It shows improvement in egg and embryo quality markers, but clinical pregnancy and live birth rates did not reach statistical significance in the trial that studied this question directly.1
How long should you take CoQ10 before trying to conceive or starting IVF?
The randomized controlled trial used a 60-day pretreatment window before IVF. Talk with your healthcare provider about what timeline makes sense for your situation.
Is CoQ10 safe to take during pregnancy?
Premium Fertility Gummies, which contains CoQ10, is not for use during pregnancy. Talk with your provider about supplement changes once pregnancy is confirmed.
What's the difference between egg count and egg quality?
Egg count refers to how many eggs remain in the ovarian reserve. Egg quality refers to how well an individual egg's cellular function, including mitochondrial energy production, supports fertilization and early development.
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or while managing a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
Sources: 1. Xu Y, Nisenblat V, Lu C, et al. Pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 improves ovarian response and embryo quality in low-prognosis young women with decreased ovarian reserve: a randomized controlled trial. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018;16:29. 2. Clinical evidence of coenzyme Q10 pretreatment for women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Medicine. 2024. 3. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. 4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
