Effects of acute doses of ethanol on pre- and postnatal development in the mouse

Investigators on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) both clinical and experimental, have generally concentrated attention on chronic alcoholism. In an attempt to elucidate the effects of binge drinking on pre- and postnatal development, single doses of 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 ml/g body weight of alcohol solutions (25% v/v of ethanol in saline) were administered intraperitoneally to groups of mice on days 8-12 of gestation. Controls were untreated or starved for 6 h. Fetuses collected on day 18 revealed retardation, fetal mortality and craniofacial and digital malformations. While growth retardation and fetal mortality were dose-dependent, malformations were stage-dependent. The 0.01-ml group exhibited only postaxial polydactyly of the forepaw. The reduction in fetal weight of 0.03-ml groups corresponded well with that of umbilical cord length. Following administration of single doses of 0.01 ml/g of ethanol solution on days 8-12, groups of mice were allowed to deliver. Controls were untreated or pairfed and pair watered. Pups were reared by the respective mothers and their survival and growth were observed till postconception day 71 and thereafter brother/sister matings were carried out. At least one pup in each litter remained extremely stunted and failed to reproduce. No significant differences in mortality, growth rates and reproductive capacity of the rest of the pups were observed. It is concluded that single but heavy doses of ethanol during organogenesis leads to a situation reminiscent of human FAS.