Reproductive senescence in the female

Throughout a woman’s lifespan, there is a loss of follicles from the ovary. As these follicles, which contain the egg, are lost, a woman’s fertility declines. Ultimately, this loss of ovarian follicles reaches a point where menstrual cycles cease and a woman enters menopause. Although reproductive aging is a natural process, some women experience premature ovarian failure due to genetic or environmental causes and enter menopause at an earlier age. This article addresses the age related changes that women experience and outlines the physiological changes across the reproductive lifespan.