How many mature follicles will ovulate during the reproductive lifetime of a woman?

During a woman's reproductive lifetime, approximately 400 to 500 mature follicles ovulate from the ovaries. This number represents only a small fraction of the millions of follicles present in the ovaries at birth. Throughout a woman's menstrual cycles, a cohort of follicles is recruited, undergo growth and development, and ultimately one dominant follicle is selected for ovulation each month. This process usually occurs once per menstrual cycle during the reproductive years, beginning from menarche (first menstrual period) and ending with menopause (cessation of menstruation), excluding periods of gestation or hormonal contraception use. Therefore, over the course of a woman's life, these 400-500 ovulations represent the finite pool of viable ova available for fertilization and potential pregnancy.