After menopause, the ovaries may transform into an “immune-like organ”
For decades, science viewed the ovaries after menopause as organs that had completed their function. Eggs run out, hormone levels drop, the ovaries shrink and become scarred—and from that point on, they are considered nothing more than biological “remnants.”
A new study However, it fundamentally calls this approach into question.
According to researchers, the ovary does not become inactive after menopause. On the contrary, it appears to continue to undergo active changes and gradually assume an entirely new biological identity.
It doesn't die; it transforms
The research team first examined the molecular composition of the ovaries of postmenopausal women. They expected that the ovaries would remain largely unchanged with advancing age.
Instead, they found that the organ’s molecular “signature” changes significantly from year to year. This suggests that even after the reproductive phase has ended, the ovary is not static but undergoes continuous biological transformation.
The immune system takes over the role of reproduction
In mouse experiments, the researchers examined in detail what happens during this transformation.
In addition to the expected changes—such as the disappearance of follicles and scarring—a much more surprising phenomenon was observed.
The activity of genes responsible for reproduction and hormone production gradually decreased, while genes associated with immune system function and inflammatory processes became increasingly active. An increasing number of T cells and macrophages—immune cells that normally play a role in the body’s defense—appeared in the ovaries.
Researchers therefore believe that the ovary does not simply lose its reproductive function, but rather is shifting toward a condition of an immunological nature.
This isn't a "superpower"
However, the researchers emphasize that this does not mean the ovary becomes a new, particularly effective immune organ.
It is much more likely that the agency change identities. It loses its reproductive nature and gradually takes on a molecular pattern more reminiscent of an immunological organ.
Possible link to chronic inflammation
Aging is accompanied by a so-called inflammaging a process known as [name], which refers to a low-intensity but persistent inflammatory state affecting the entire body.
According to the researchers, it is possible that the postmenopausal ovary itself contributes to this condition by releasing inflammatory signaling molecules and communicating with other organs.
If this proves to be true, it may partly explain why the risk of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases—such as rheumatoid arthritis—increases after menopause.
An evolutionary explanation
The research also puts forward an interesting evolutionary hypothesis.
It is possible that when people’s life expectancy was much shorter, it was advantageous for the ovaries to become a kind of immunological reserve after reproduction had ended. At that time, few people lived for many years after menopause, so this adaptation may even have increased their chances of survival.
In modern society, however, where many women live for decades after menopause, this same mechanism can lead to excessive immune activation and chronic inflammation. The author aptly describes this “immune-system overkill”, that is, it describes it as an overreaction of the immune system.
New Questions About the Role of the Ovaries After Menopause
The discovery also sheds new light on why healthy ovaries are left in place after menopause. Until now, this has been primarily because they continue to produce small amounts of hormones—such as androgens—that are important for bone health, muscle mass, and libido.
Now, however, a new question arises: Do they also play an important role from an immunological perspective? And if so, does this role primarily protect the body, or does it contribute to the development of age-related diseases?
Researchers do not yet have an answer to this question.
A Possible Paradigm Shift
Perhaps the most important message of the study is not that the ovary “becomes an immune organ,” but rather that an organ’s function is not necessarily constant throughout our lives.
It is possible that the same organ performs completely different biological functions at different stages of life. If future research confirms this in humans, our current understanding of menopause, female aging, and the role of the ovaries could undergo a significant transformation.
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Why did this happen?
Researchers do not yet know why the aging ovary undergoes this transformation. According to Francesca Duncan, it is possible that this was an evolutionary adaptation.
Thousands of years ago, most people did not live long after menopause. However, for those who did reach old age, it may have been an advantage that the ovaries—having completed their reproductive function—served as a sort of reservoir of immune cells, helping the body defend itself.
In today’s world, however, we live under very different circumstances. Women often live another 30 to 40 years after menopause, so it’s quite possible that this adaptation, which was once beneficial, now leads to excessive immune activation. Duncan puts it this way: nowadays, this could even be the “immune-system overkill” ...could also become.
What could this mean for women's health?
The research raises new questions about the role of the ovaries after menopause.
Currently, healthy ovaries are generally not removed after menopause because they continue to produce small amounts of hormones—such as androgens—that are important for bone health, maintaining muscle mass, and libido.
However, this new research suggests that the ovaries may play a much more complex role than that. If they do indeed play a role in regulating the body’s immune function, this could explain why the incidence of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases—such as rheumatoid arthritis—increases after menopause.
The key message
The researchers emphasize that This has not yet been proven in humans. The detailed mechanisms have been observed in mice, although molecular studies of human ovaries also point in a similar direction.
Therefore, detailed functional studies are now needed to understand exactly what types of cells the postmenopausal ovary contains, what molecules it produces, how it communicates with the immune system, and what effects it has on the entire body.
If these findings are confirmed in humans, the discovery could fundamentally change our understanding of menopause. We would no longer view the ovaries merely as organs of fertility and hormone production, but as organs that, in later stages of life, takes on a new biology assignment, and it may play an active role in the processes of aging, inflammation, and women's health.
This is one of the most exciting parts of the study: it doesn't simply describe a new mechanism, but suggests that An organ's function is not constant throughout our lives. It is possible that the ovaries do not “shut down” with menopause, but rather is entering a whole new phase of life, the significance of which we are only now beginning to understand.
The authors repeatedly emphasize that:
- detailed mechanistic studies occurred in mice;
- Although there are also human data, these mainly show changes in the protein and molecular composition of the ovaries;
- not yet proven, that the human ovary becomes an immune organ to the same extent.
Therefore, further functional studies are needed. This is one of the most interesting discoveries in gynecology and the biology of aging in recent years. If it is confirmed in humans as well, it could fundamentally change research on menopause, chronic inflammation, and healthy aging.
About me
Hi, I’m Nóra Árvai, a clinical health psychologist, health communication specialist, and PhD researcher in the field of medical foresight. I’ve been working with women living with chronic illnesses for over 16 years, particularly those affected by endometriosis and infertility. Through more than 28,000 consultation hours, I’ve learned one thing for sure: reliable knowledge, the right support, and a strong community can truly change lives.
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