As a woman ages, her ovulation is affected. An older woman has fewer eggs left in her ovaries. The ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) fluctuates and can become quite high, trying to raise estrogen levels, but the follicles do not respond to FSH as they once did. The eggs themselves are not as healthy. Eventually, usually in her 50s, a woman reaches menopause and stops releasing eggs and having periods.
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