How many mature eggs are typically produced by each ovary of a non-pregnant woman each year?

Options

A. 6
B. 24
C. 12
D. 52

Answer

To solve the question of how many mature eggs are typically produced by each ovary of a non-pregnant woman each year, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Ovulation Cycle**:
- A non-pregnant woman typically has a menstrual cycle that lasts about 28 days, during which an ovum (egg) is released from one of the ovaries.

2. **Monthly Egg Release**:
- Each month, one ovary releases one mature egg. This process is known as ovulation.

3. **Alternating Ovaries**:
- The ovaries alternate in releasing eggs. For example, if the right ovary releases an egg in January, the left ovary will release an egg in February, and this pattern continues throughout the year.

4. **Calculating the Annual Egg Production**:
- Since there are 12 months in a year, this means that a total of 12 eggs are released in a year (1 egg per month).

5. **Distribution Between Ovaries**:
- Given that there are two ovaries, each ovary will contribute to the total egg production. Over the course of a year, each ovary will release approximately half of the total eggs.

6. **Final Calculation**:
- Therefore, if there are 12 eggs produced in total in a year, each ovary will typically produce:
\[ \text{Eggs per ovary} = \frac{12 \text{ eggs}}{2} = 6 \text{ eggs} \]

### Conclusion:
- The answer to the question is that each ovary of a non-pregnant woman typically produces **6 mature eggs** each year.