The influence of maternal diet –induced obesity on early embryo development.

Data expressed as mean ± SEM. The number of zygotes was determined in the morning after natural mating. Blastocysts were recovered from the uterus on day 4 after mating. The number of cells per blastocyst and their distribution between the inner cell mass and the trophectoderm were analysed in 3–5 blastocysts per mouse. Values in parentheses indicate a number of mice/group.1In both control and in 2 out of 5 obese mothers a small number of fragmented embryos at various stages of development was recovered from the oviducts.