Ovarian Reserve: Regulation & Implications for Women's Health

October 25, 2012

Sponsor/Co-Sponsor(s)

Reproductive Sciences (RS) Branch, NICHD; American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)

Location

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Hotel, San Diego, California

Purpose

Only a tiny fraction of the ovarian primordial follicles present at birth will survive to mature and ovulate. This pool of follicles is called the “ovarian reserve.” In theory, snapshots of the ovarian reserve over time might indicate a woman’s maximum reproductive potential and the time remaining until menopause. At minimum, such snapshots have critical implications for women’s fertility and overall health. However, the biomarkers of ovarian reserve that are currently available are not adequate to make such predictions.

This conference will address current questions related to ovarian reserve, such as:

  • How is the follicle pool established and regulated?
  • What is the state-of-the-science for the measurement of ovarian reserve, and can we develop robust predictive measurements?
  • What are the possible clinical implications of measures of ovarian reserve?
  • How do reproductive or systemic diseases and their treatment affect ovarian reserve?
  • What is the future of science in the realm of ovarian reserve, in terms of measurement, clinical implications, and potential for manipulation?

Conference participants will describe the establishment and regulation of the primordial follicle pool, learn how to critically assess biomarkers of and methods to estimate ovarian reserve, discuss the implications of diminished ovarian reserve to a woman’s health and fertility, and confer on how might advances in gene profiling and stem cell biology extend or restore fertility in aging or disease states.

This conference will take place during the ASRM Annual Meeting. For more information, including agenda and registration information, visit http://www.asrm.org/2012_Ovarian_Reserve/ External Web Site Policy.

Contact:

Dr. Charisee Lamar, RS Branch, NICHD
Phone: 301-435-6977
E-mail: cl225r@nih.gov

Please note: Views expressed during NICHD-sponsored events do not necessarily reflect the opinions or the official positions of NICHD, NIH, or HHS.
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