Declining egg quantity and quality leads to menopause and falling fertility.
Ovarian reserve declines; menopause occurs at around 51 when follicles are depleted and oestrogen falls: hot flashes, bone loss. Male fertility declines more gradually. Egg freezing offers a fertility preservation option.
Female fertility falls from the early 30s. Menopause leads to oestrogen deficiency. Hormone therapy relieves symptoms but has risks.
Key idea: egg quality declines with age.
Declining egg quantity and quality leads to menopause and falling fertility.
Reproductive Ageing is one of the 54 topics in Reproduction & Endocrinology. It is rated Advanced, so it suits learners who want specialist depth. Related topics in this area include Pregnancy Hormones, Ovulation, Female Reproductive System.
Oocyte aneuploidy rises steeply after 35.
Work through the Beginner topics in Reproduction & Endocrinology first, such as Reproduction, Asexual Reproduction, Sexual Reproduction, then return to Reproductive Ageing. Advanced topics assume the Intermediate vocabulary.
The closest topics to Reproductive Ageing are Pregnancy Hormones, Ovulation, Female Reproductive System, Sex Steroid Biosynthesis. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Reproductive Ageing. To practise the whole of Reproduction & Endocrinology, use the Reproduction & Endocrinology quiz.
Reproductive Ageing: Declining egg quantity and quality leads to menopause and falling fertility. Pregnancy Hormones: hCG maintains the corpus luteum early on, then the placenta produces progesterone and oestrogen. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Pregnancy Hormones and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Reproduction & Endocrinology quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
hCG maintains the corpus luteum early on, then the placenta produces progesterone and oestrogen.
🌸 Reproduction & EndocrinologyRelease of a secondary oocyte from the ovary triggered by a surge in luteinising hormone.
🌸 Reproduction & EndocrinologyOvaries release eggs and hormones; the uterus nurtures the developing embryo.
🌸 Reproduction & EndocrinologyCholesterol is converted stepwise by enzymes like aromatase into androgens and oestrogens.
🌸 Reproduction & Endocrinology