Why does female fertility decline so fast? The key is the ovary

Female Fertility Decline: The Role of the Ovary

Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered an ecosystem within the ovary that determines how eggs mature and ovaries age, shedding new light on why female fertility declines rapidly.

A woman's chance of conceiving each month decreases drastically from age 25 to 40, with declining egg quality previously thought to be the main cause. However, new research suggests that the surrounding cells and tissues of the ovary play a crucial role in egg maturation and fertility decline.

"We've long thought of ovarian aging as simply a problem of egg quality and quantity,"

said Diana Laird, PhD, professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at UCSF and senior author of the study. The research, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was published in Science.

The study utilized a new imaging technique to examine the ovary ecosystem, revealing a more complex story behind female fertility decline.

Declining egg quality is not the only factor in female fertility decline.
The surrounding cells and tissues of the ovary play a crucial role in egg maturation and fertility decline.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Author's summary: New research reveals the ovary's ecosystem determines egg maturation and fertility decline.

University of California — 2025-10-16

Female Fertility Decline: The Role of the Ovary

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