Abstract
Chronic consumption of ethanol during pregnancy and lactation may lead to abnormalities in the fetus or infant. A group of female Wistar rats was submitted to ethanol treatment over a period of a month. A pair-fed control group received sucrose solution isocaloric to ethanol and the control group received water “ad libitum.” Afterward, the females were mated with males over a period of 20 days. At birth, each litter was maximized to eight pups and the remaining ones were decapitated to remove the fetal blood and brains. No significant difference was observed in fetal body and brain weight at birth. During lactation the ethanol and pair-fed groups gained less weight than the control group. After weaning, their weight became similar. Fetal blood glucose levels were decreased in the ethanol-treated group. One hundred percent of the pair-fed and control females delivered live fetuses at term and all survived; only 40% of the females in the ethanol group delivered, and one pup did not survive. Chronic ethanol treatment pointed to a possible reduction in the fertility. It seems likely that the change in body weight of ethanol-fed dams was caused by undernutrition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abel, E.L. (1974). Alcohol ingestion in lactating rats: Effect on mothers and offspring. I.Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie, 210: 121–27.
Anderson, S., Halmasmäki, E., Koivusalo, M., & Lapatto, R. (1989). Placental alcohol metabolism in chronic ethanol abuse.Biological Neonate, 56: 90–93.
Bartley, H.L., Coyle, I.R., & Singer, G. (1983). The effects of alcohol induced malnutrition in pregnancy on offspring brain and behavioral development.Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 19: 513–18.
Brown, N.A., Goulding, E.H., & Fabio, S. (1979). Ethanol embryo toxicity: Direct effect on mammalian embryos in vitro.Science, 206: 573–75.
Cobo, E. (1973). Effect of different doses of ethanol on the milk ejecting reflex in lactating human.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 115: 817–21.
Coles, C.D. Smith, I., Fernhoff, P.M., & Falek, A. (1985). Neonatal neurobehavioral characteristics as correlates of maternal alcohol use during gestation.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 9: 454–60.
Hard, E., Engel, J., Larsson, K., Liljequest, S., & Musi, B. (1985). Effects of maternal ethanol consumption on the offspring sensory-motor development, ultrasonic vocalization audiogenic immobility reaction and brain monamine synthesis.Acta Pharmacology et Toxicology, 56: 354–63.
Harlap, S., & Shiono, P.H. (1980). Alcohol, smoking, and incidence of spontaneous abortion in the first and second trimester.Lancet, 2: 173–76.
Kaufman, M.H., & Woollam, D.H.M. (1981). The passage to the fetus on liquor amnii of ethanol administered orally to the pregnant mouse.British Journal of Experimental Pathology, 62: 352–67.
Little, R.E., & Streissguth, A.P. (1981). Effects of ethanol on the fetus: Impact and prevention.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 125: 159–64.
Ludeña, M.C., Mena, M.A., Salinas, M., & Herrera, E. (1983). Effects of alcohol ingestion in the pregnant rat on daily food intake, offspring growth, and metabolic parameters.General Pharmacology, 14: 327–32.
Mello, N.K., Bree, M.P., Mendelson, J.H., & Ellingbol, J. (1983). Alcohol self-administration disrupts reproductive function in female macaque monkeys.Science, 221: 677–79.
Mena, F., Escalera, G.M., Aguayo, C.C.D., Anguinao, G., & Grosvenor, C.E. (1981). Effect of acute increases in suckling frequency upon food and milk secretion in the rabbit.Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 168: 373–77.
Moon, R.C. (1969). Mammary growth and milk yield as related to litter size.Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 130: 1126–28.
Randall, C.L., Taylor, W., & Walker, D.W. (1977). Ethanol-induced malformations in mice.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 1: 219–24.
Samson, H.H., & Diaz, J. (1982). Effects of neonatal ethanol exposure on brain development in rodents. In: E.L. Abel (Ed.),Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, vol. 3,Animal Studies. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Singh, S.P., Pullen, G.L., & Snyder, A.K. (1988). Effects of ethanol on fetal fuels and brain growth in rats.Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine, 112: 704–10.
Sokol, J.R. (1981). Alcohol and abnormal outcomes of pregnancy.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 125: 143–48.
Tanaka, H., Nakazawa, K., & Suzuki, N. (1982). Prevention possibility for brain disfunction in rat with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome—low zinc-status and hypoglycemia.Brain Development, 4: 429–38.
Tanaka, H., Suzuki, N., & Arima, N. (1982). Hypoglycemia in the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in the rat.Brain Development, 4: 97–103.
Vilaro, S., Vinas, O., Remesar, X., & Herrera, E. (1987). Effects of chronic ethanol consumption on lactational performance in rat: Mammary gland and milk composition and pup’s growth and metabolism.Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 27: 333–39.
Wang, J., Marvin, M., Abel, B., & Pierson, R.N. (1976). Effects of chronic alcohol exposure on growth and nutrition in rats.Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 273: 205–11.
Warner, R.H., & Rosett, H.L. (1975). The effects of drinking on offspring: An historical survey of the American and British literature.Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 36: 1395–1420.
Weinberg, J. (1985). Effects of ethanol and maternal nutritional status on fetal development.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 9: 49–55.
Wiener, S.G., Schoemaker, W.J., Koda, L.Y., & Bloom, F.E. (1981). Interaction of ethanol and nutrition during gestation: Influence on maternal and offspring development in the rat.Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 216: 572–79.
Winston, G.W., & Reitz, R.C. (1980). Effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on glucose homeostasis in males and females.Life Sciences, 26: 201–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Maldaner, F.H.B., Durgante, L.P., Murussi, M. et al. Effects of chronic ethanol consumption on gestation and lactation in rats. Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science 29, 141–150 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02691011
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02691011