The ovary is far more than simply a repository for eggs. It is a dynamic organ that produces hormones, communicates with the rest of the body, undergoes aging-related changes and influences women’s health long after its reproductive capabilities have expired.

Ovarian aging is defined by the loss of egg quantity and quality that occurs throughout a woman’s lifetime and has impacts on fertility, hormone function and overall health. Reproductive function begins to decline in women in their mid-30s and ceases completely at the time of menopause. Despite the fact that reproductive aging occurs in women when they are otherwise chronologically young, ovarian aging is still aging.