Predictors of ovarian follicle number

Objective: To identify factors associated with ovarian follicle density in women of reproductive age. Design: Women undergoing incidental oophorectomy responded to structured interviews. Grossly normal ovaries were sectioned and assessed for follicle density. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): 102 women undergoing hysterectomy with incidental oophorectomy who had morphologically normal ovaries. Main Outcome Measure(s): Follicle density, age, parity, oral contraceptive use, body size, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Result(s): Follicle density decreased with age and with current or past cigarette smoking. Other factors were not associated with follicle density, although the study had adequate power to detect only strong associations. Conclusion(s): Some of the adverse effects of smoking on reproductive health may be due to irreversible follicular depletion. (Fertil Steril (R) 2000;74:624-8. (C) 2000 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).