title: Effects of Diets Enriched in Omega-9 or Omega-6 Fatty Acids on Reproductive Process.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maternal type and amounts of dietary fatty acids affect on reproductive process in the mice. The present study investigated the effects of maternal supplementation with different amounts of omega-6 or omega-9 during pregnancy on the number of offspring, sex-ratio and duration of gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into four dietary groups including low omega-6 (16%; LO6), low omega-9 (16%; LO9), high omega-6 (45%; HO6) and high omega-9 (45%; HO9) during gestation. Number of offspring, sex-ratio and duration of pregnancy were compared among four dietary groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant difference between LO6 and HO6 (p < 0.0001), LO9 and HO9 (p < 0.0001) groups in total number of pups. The number of female and male offspring were significantly different between LO6 and LO9 (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001, respectively), LO9 and HO9 (p = 0.01 and p = 0.025) groups. Duration of pregnancy was significantly higher in low fat diet than high fat diet groups (< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High fat diet reduced number of pups, gestation duration and lead to early labor. Omega-9 fatty acids shifted sex of offspring to females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedeh Neda
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koohdani
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, School of Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shidfar
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Physiology, School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shafiei-Neek
keywords: Dietary Oil; Gestation; Offspring; Sex Ratio