What Causes a Woman's Ovaries to Shrink?

Ovaries typically shrink after a woman completes menopause, according to Cancer Research UK. The age that a woman goes through menopause varies.

The ovaries are responsible for producing two different hormones, estrogen and progesterone. As a woman goes through menopause, the ovaries slow the production of these hormones down and eventually stop producing them altogether. After the ovaries fail to continue producing the hormones, the ovaries shrink slightly from their normal size, which is about 3 centimeters long in younger women. As the ovaries stop producing hormones, a woman's menstrual cycle also stops, which indicates thats he has gone through menopause. This can last for several years depending on the woman.