ABSTRACT Obesity is an increasingly prevalent condition worldwide and is one of the main factors for female infertility. Obesity affects fertility by impacting oocyte and embryo quality, as well as the receptivity of the maternal environment, among many other outcomes. The effect of obesity, specifically of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), on embryo development, has been extensively examined in the literature. This review discusses the relationship between non-esterified fatty acids and preimplantation embryo development, the underlying mechanism(s) that contributes to lipotoxicity in embryos, as well as outlines potential therapeutic implications of embryos exposed to NEFAs.
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