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How do the ovaries change after menopause?

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Detailed cross-sectional illustration of a human ovary showing the stages of follicle development, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation, with labeled structures including primordial, primary, secondary, and mature follicles, a ruptured follicle releasing an ovum, and corpus luteum and albicans. An inset at the bottom shows the ovary's location in the female reproductive system.
ovary The steps of ovulation, beginning with a dormant primordial follicle that grows and matures and is eventually released from the ovary into the fallopian tube.

After menopause, the ovaries undergo significant physical and functional changes as a woman’s reproductive life concludes. These changes include:1

  • Structural Shrinkage: The ovaries decrease in size and typically come to consist mostly of old fibrous tissue, interstitial cells, and atretic (shrunken) follicles.21
  • Loss of Follicles: By the time of menopause, the ovaries contain very few follicles. The cyclic development of follicles into mature eggs, which characterizes the reproductive years, ceases.13
  • Hormonal Decline: The production of estrogen drops by 80 percent or more. While production decreases considerably, it does not cease entirely.12
  • Hormonal Feedback Changes: Due to the loss of follicles and the significant decrease in estrogen, there are marked increases in the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary gland.1

These changes are a normal result of aging, though the decline in ovarian function is often accelerated as a woman approaches menopause.1