title: Validation of the power model of ovarian nongrowing follicle depletion associated with aging in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate recently proposed models of ovarian nongrowing follicle (NGF) decay associated with aging within the context of an independent data set.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal appearing ovaries collected from 52 women (age 28-51 years) undergoing oophorectomy for benign gynecologic indications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Determining ovarian NGF counts with systematic random sampling rules and a validated fractionator/optical disector technique. The goodness-of-fit of predicted NGF counts based on the power and double Gaussian models and those observed in the validation set was assessed with the calculation of the Akaike information criterion and R(2) values.
  
  
  METHODS
  The goodness-of-fit between observed and expected ovarian NGF counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The power model was an excellent fit to the observed data. The average difference between the observed and expected NGF count was 0.161 (95% CI, -0.058, 0.327). In the present study population, the power model was a superior fit to the observed data compared with the double Gaussian model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prospective investigation with an independent set of ovarian NGF counts validates the power model as an excellent characterization of the ovarian NGF decline associated with aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Knowlton
authors.affiliation: Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: LaTasha B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Zavy
authors.affiliation: Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Electronic address: karl-hansen@ouhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Karl R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Human ovary; ovarian nongrowing follicles; reproductive aging; stereology