What is follicular atresia?

Follicular atresia is a process of the menstrual cycle that consists of the degeneration and reabsorption of the ovarian follicles before they reach maturity.

In a woman's normal cycle, multiple ovarian follicles develop, but only one of them will reach the final stage of maturation and release the egg from within during the ovulation phase. The remaining ovarian follicles that began their development, but did not reach maturity, degenerate through the process of atresia.

It should be noted that the process of atresia can appear at any time during follicular development. For example, if atresia affects a primordial follicle, the oocyte contour becomes irregular and the granulosa cells separate from each other and decrease in volume.