ABSTRACT
With the postponement of childbearing in Western societies, rates of subfertility related to female age have increased considerably (1). An increasing proportion of couples therefore depend on assisted reproductive technique (ART) to achieve a pregnancy. The increase of subfertility with increasing female age is mainly based on changes in ovarian function referred to as decreasing ovarian reserve. Ovarian reserve can be defi ned as the number and quality of the remaining follicles and oocytes in both ovaries at a given age. Decline in follicle numbers dictates the occurrence of irregular cycles and menopause, while quality decay results in decreasing fertility, defi ned as the capacity to conceive and give birth to a child (Fig. 36.1) (2).
