Final answer:
The statement is false; all the eggs a woman will ever have are present at birth, and only a portion of these, typically one per menstrual cycle, will mature and be released during her reproductive years, resulting in the release of around 400 to 500 eggs, not the production of new ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that women produce roughly 500 eggs in a lifetime is false. A female is born with a predetermined number of immature eggs, approximately 1-2 million, within her ovaries. However, not all of these eggs will mature and be released during the woman's reproductive lifespan. After puberty, it is typical for one egg to mature and be released during each menstrual cycle, until the woman reaches menopause. Given a menstrual cycle of about 28 days and the reproductive years being from puberty (around age 12-13) to menopause (typically by age 52), the total number of eggs released is in the range of 400 to 500. However, this does not equate to egg production, as all the eggs a woman will ever have are already present at birth and throughout her life.