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Assessment of the Functional Ovarian Reserve

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Managing Ultrasonography in Human Reproduction

Abstract

The ovarian reserve is composed of primordial and resting follicles. The number of primordial follicles is determined during early fetal life and declines until menopause. The number of antral follicles reflects the size of primordial follicle pool [1]. Follicles destined to ovulate grow from primordial follicles through the accumulation of fluid in the antral cavity and the proliferation of granulosa and theca interna cells until it reaches the diameter of 2 mm. After the antral follicles reach 2 mm in diameter, they become highly sensitive and responsive to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Follicles in diameter of 2–5 mm constitute a pool of follicles of which one follicle destined to ovulate is selected and finally undergoes ovulation [2, 3]. Those follicles constitute the functional ovarian reserve [4].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Wellington P. Martins

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden

    Ligita Jokubkiene

Authors
  1. Wellington P. Martins
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Correspondence to Wellington P. Martins .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Stefano Guerriero

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Wellington P. Martins

  3. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain

    Juan Luis Alcazar

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Martins, W.P., Jokubkiene, L. (2017). Assessment of the Functional Ovarian Reserve. In: Guerriero, S., Martins, W., Alcazar, J. (eds) Managing Ultrasonography in Human Reproduction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41037-1_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41037-1_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-41035-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-41037-1

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