Defining ovarian reserve to better understand ovarian aging

Table 1 Characteristics of ovarian aging

Characteristics of ovarian aging	References
Varying initial oocyte numbers between individuals at birth/menarche	[11, 12]
Varying pace of follicular recruitment between individuals	[12]
Decreasing pace of follicular recruitment with advancing age	[12]
Decreasing numbers of follicles in folliculogenesis with advancing age
Increasingly poor egg quality with advancing age	[13–15]
Due to decreasing follicles in folliculogenesis and poorer egg quality:
Decreasing embryo quality with advancing age
Decreasing spontaneous fecundity with advancing age
Decreasing oocyte numbers in IVF with advancing age
Decreasing embryo numbers in IVF with advancing age
Decreasing pregnancy rates with IVF	[7, 8, 15–18]
Decreasing pregnancy rates with infertility treatments in general	[19]
Increasing aneuploidy with advancing age*	[20] - [22]

*Women with POA/OCPOI, though demonstrating all other characteristics of NOA, at prematurely young ages still demonstrate normal, age-appropriate aneuploidy rates [26]. While clinically in all other characteristics exhibiting characteristics of "older" ovaries, embryo quality will still be relatively good, allowing for excellent pregnancy chances with IVF

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