It is a curious fact that every woman is born with her lifetime’s supply of eggs already inside her. They are formed when she is still in the womb and sit in the ovaries for years and years before being called into play. The idea of women being born with a full load of eggs – the formal name is ova – was first suggested by the great and busy German anatomist Heinrich von Waldeyer-Hartz, but even he would have been astonished at just how quickly and abundantly eggs are formed within the growing child. A 20-week-old foetus will weigh no more than three or four ounces (about 100 grams) but will
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