When we are born, most of us have somewhere between one to three million eggs. These are lost throughout our lives, and by the time a girl gets her first period she has, on average, about 400,000 eggs. While I don't have a figure for how many eggs are left when most women reach perimenopause, I can tell you that when women reach menopause most have less than 10,000 eggs left.
Most eggs die off through a process called atresia (the degeneration and subsequent resorption of immature ovarian follicles - fluid filled cysts that contain the eggs).
A small percentage are lost through normal ovulation during women's periods.
Has this answered your question? For more information on perimenopause please visit EmpowHER's Perimenopause Community section.
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Hi Jacqui and thanks for your question.
When we are born, most of us have somewhere between one to three million eggs. These are lost throughout our lives, and by the time a girl gets her first period she has, on average, about 400,000 eggs. While I don't have a figure for how many eggs are left when most women reach perimenopause, I can tell you that when women reach menopause most have less than 10,000 eggs left.
Most eggs die off through a process called atresia (the degeneration and subsequent resorption of immature ovarian follicles - fluid filled cysts that contain the eggs).
A small percentage are lost through normal ovulation during women's periods.
Has this answered your question? For more information on perimenopause please visit EmpowHER's Perimenopause Community section.
Best,
Pat
October 7, 2014 - 5:49pmThis Comment
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