Early Life Exposure to Undernutrition Induces ER Stress, Apoptosis, and Reduced Vascularization in Ovaries of Adult Rat Offspring1

Maternal nutritional restriction has been shown to induce impairments in a number of organ systems including the ovary. We have previously shown that maternal undernutrition induces fetal growth restriction and low birth weight, and results in an offspring ovarian phenotype characteristic of premature ovarian aging with reduced ovarian reserve. In the present study, we set out to investigate the underlying mechanisms that lead offspring of …