Background: Concerns over the rising infertility rate among humans is now becoming a global health issue.

Aim: To observe the histological changes in ovaries while measuring relative tissue weight indices of all ovaries among different groups receiving cottonseed oil.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Methodology: Twenty four adult female albino rats (12 weeks of age) were divided into 04 groups. Group-1 (Control) rats were given orally distilled water @ 400mg (equivalent to 400μl)/kg body weight per day. Group-2, Group-3 & Group-4 rats were given cottonseed oil (treatment groups) @ 400mg (equivalent to 432μl)/kg body weight per day, respectively, for a period of 30 days.  

Results: Cottonseed oil significantly reduced fertility in terms of follicles and ova in all treatment groups than control having non-significant differences among means of different groups.

Conclusion: This study concluded that the crude cottonseed oil significantly affected female rat fertility in terms of reduced number of follicles and ova as shown histologically. However, it did not affect relative tissue weight indices among different groups. Hence, its use in edible products may result in increased women infertility.

Keywords: Cottonseed Oil, Relative Tissue Weight Indices and Number of Follicles.