Ovary, light micrograph. In late foetal-neonatal life the ovary contains its maximum number of follicles seen here as oocytes enclosed by pre- or granulosa cells. During postnatal and adult life follicles are continuously depleted until at menopause the supply is exhausted. At birth the ovaries in the human have on average about half a million follicles per ovary, although this number is highly variable between individuals. With one follicle normally ovulated in each menstrual cycle, only around 400 follicles are ovulated in reproductive life. If at birth the paired ovaries have 1 million follicles, some 99.95% of follicles never ovulate but degenerate by atresia and are eliminated within the ovaries. Epoxy resin section, Toluidine blue stain. Magnification: x500 when width printed at 10cm.