Moderate NEFA reprogram early follicular development and oocyte competence: evidence for a targetable redox mechanism (opens in new tab)

IntroductionElevated circulating non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), a hallmark of metabolic stress and negative energy balance, are increasingly associated with reduced female fertility. While most studies focus on late oocyte maturation, metabolic disturbances during follicular growth, particularly during the preantral – early antral transition, a critical window for establishing oocyte developmental competence may already impair oocyte quality. Here, we investigated whether sustained, physi...