Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

At what stage does a female have all the eggs she will ovulate in her lifetime?

1. Puberty

2. At birth

3. During adolescence

4. At menopause

The correct answer is: At birth

A female has all the eggs she will ovulate in her lifetime at birth. During fetal development, specifically around the 20th week of gestation, a female's ovaries contain nearly all the primary oocytes she will ever have, with a peak number of these oocytes present before birth. By the time of birth, she has about 1 to 2 million oocytes, but this number diminishes significantly by puberty, when only about 300,000 to 400,000 oocytes remain. Puberty marks the onset of menstrual cycles and the initiation of ovulation, but no new eggs are produced after birth. During adolescence, the maturation of the remaining oocytes occurs, leading to ovulation, but all the eggs by that time were already present at birth. By menopause, which signifies the end of a female's reproductive years, the ovary's supply of viable oocytes has greatly diminished, leading to the cessation of ovulation. Thus, the correct response identifies the point in time when the complete egg supply is established.