The ovaries are an important female reproductive organ and the core organ for maintaining vitality, youth, and overall health. They not only store follicles and promote the development and release of mature follicles, facilitating the creation of new life, but also secrete important sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, regulating various aspects of a woman’s appearance, physique, menstruation, lipid metabolism, bone health, sleep, and emotions. Therefore, for women to resist aging, they must start with maintaining their ovaries.

In daily life, many women may find themselves appearing older than their peers, experiencing weaknesses in both reproductive function and physical appearance. The crux of this issue lies in more severe ovarian functional decline compared to others.

This article will explain in detail why women may appear older than their peers and why your ovaries age faster than others.

Understanding Ovarian Aging

Ovarian aging, medically termed ovarian functional decline, once it occurs, currently has no effective means of reversal; only prevention of early ovarian decline and proper ovarian maintenance are essential. Medically, ovarian aging mainly refers to the reduction in the number of follicles in the ovaries and the decline in egg quality. Unlike facial aging that can be masked with makeup and cosmetic procedures, the aging of the ovaries may not be immediately apparent in the early stages and might seem to have no impact on life. However, irregular menstruation, reduced menstrual flow, night sweats, vaginal dryness, dull complexion, sagging skin, and the development of wrinkles could be associated with ovarian aging. Many individuals may overlook these symptoms due to a lack of knowledge about ovarian maintenance, inadvertently worsening the condition and leading to premature ovarian aging, causing a faster decline in ovarian function compared to others of the same age.

Why Do Ovaries Age Prematurely?

The primary reasons for premature ovarian aging are as follows:

1. Genetic factors: Abnormalities in the X chromosome are the main cause of premature ovarian aging. If family members like grandmothers, mothers, or other female relatives have experienced premature ovarian aging, early menopause, or menstrual irregularities, it indicates a high risk of premature ovarian aging in subsequent generations. Therefore, women of this category should pay attention to their reproductive health, actively maintain their ovaries, and, if necessary, seek medical intervention to delay the exacerbation of aging symptoms.

2. Iatrogenic factors: Female exposure to radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and pelvic surgery increases the likelihood of premature ovarian aging. Thus, women should focus on personal hygiene to reduce the risk of gynecological diseases and use appropriate contraception to avoid accidental procedures that may harm the ovaries and uterus. Before undergoing radiation or chemotherapy, it is recommended, if possible, to preserve fertility through legal means in the United States by extracting young, healthy, and high-quality eggs and storing them in advanced laboratories using cutting-edge cell freezing technology, ensuring healthy eggs are available for future use after disease treatment.

3. Autoimmune factors: Autoimmune diseases like autoimmune thyroiditis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc., can lead to premature ovarian aging. Women should maintain a positive mindset in life, avoid extreme emotional fluctuations and excessive stress to prevent adverse effects on the endocrine system.

4. Viral infection factors: Some viral infections, such as mumps virus and cytomegalovirus, can also cause premature ovarian aging. Patients infected with these viruses should seek timely treatment to avoid damage to the ovaries.

5. Environmental factors: Women who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke experience menopause 1-2 years earlier than non-smokers. Irregular sleep patterns, chronic lack of sleep, excessive physical fatigue, poor nutrition (excessive dieting, excessive weight loss), prolonged exposure to environmental pollution, and other negative environmental influences, not only accelerate physical and facial aging but primarily affect the premature aging of ovarian function.

6. Other triggers: Early menstruation and either early or late first-time childbirth may also cause premature ovarian aging.