THE ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF HUMAN OVARIAN-FUNCTION

New methods for monitoring ovarian function have allowed an extension of research venue beyond typical clinical settings to studies of human populations in their natural settings. Such studies have confirmed th at patterns of variation in ovarian function with age and energetic fa ctors are general features of human reproductive biology. Age patterns of ovarian function are extremely robust across populations of distin ct genetic, ecological and cultural backgrounds. Comparable ovarian re sponses to energetic stresses are likewise observable in different pop ulations where they arise as correlates of local ecologies rather than as correlates of voluntary patterns of diet or exercise. Maternal age and energetic factors also appear to interact with lactation in the m odulation of postpartum, ovarian function. Average levels of ovarian f unction, however, differ considerably between populations, perhaps cor related with chronic environmental conditions that affect growth, deve lopment, and the establishment of adult set-points. Western population s appear to represent an extreme of the spectrum of variation in ovari an function, a fact which may relate to the epidemiology of breast and ovarian cancer.