What Women Ought to Know About Saturated Fatty Acids Negatively Affecting Human Eggs

Your Eggs and Saturated Fatty Acids

Eggs that are exposed to saturated fatty acids like those found in the ovaries of obese women or those with type 2 diabetes are less likely to be viable in forming an embryo, according to a new study.

Researchers from Belgium, the United Kingdom and Spain, exposed the eggs of cattle to high levels of fatty acids. They found that these eggs had fewer cells, altered gene expression and altered metabolic activity, all factors that made them less functional for baby development.

The study may explain why conception is difficult for women with metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, the researchers said. Because these women metabolize more of their stored fat, more fatty acids are present in the ovaries, which can be toxic for growing eggs before ovulation.

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