Can We Stop Ovarian Aging?

Can We Slow Ovarian Aging?

Ovaries are responsible for the entire process of pregnancy by storing and releasing eggs, and then simultaneously producing hormones that are needed to conceive and sustain a pregnancy. Inside the ovaries are fluid-filled sacs called follicles that hold an immature egg and allow it to grow. 

In a female human body, ovaries are the fastest organ to age, and the rapid aging of them can lead to perimenopause or early menopause for some. For decades, ovarian aging has been viewed as an unavoidable biological process. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, and once those eggs are gone, there is currently no way to replace them. 

For this reason, fertility has long been viewed as something that is largely dependent on the number and quality of a woman’s remaining eggs. However, researchers are beginning to recognize that ovarian aging may not be determined solely by the eggs themselves. The environment in which those eggs mature may also play an important role. 

For over two decades, rather than focusing only on the egg itself, CHR doctors have investigated ways to improve the environment that follicles mature in. This work has led to important discoveries regarding the role of androgens in normal follicle development and the potential benefit of androgen supplementation for selected patients.  

While we cannot stop the natural loss of eggs or reverse ovarian aging altogether, improving the environment in which eggs mature may offer new opportunities to support ovarian function and reproductive potential. 

If you'd like to learn more, listen to Dr. Norbert Gleicher discuss the science behind ovarian aging and CHR's ongoing research in the podcast episode linked here.