Effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on subsequent maternal behaviour in rats

Nine Holtzman rats were maintained from days 5-18 of pregnancy on a liquid diet of which ethanol constituted 35% of the calories while nine rats were pair-fed an isocaloric diet that had maltose-dextrin substituted for the ethanol. Beginning on day 19 of gestation and continuing for five days the dams in both groups were given a choice among lab chow, water, and their respective liquid diets. During the five days of choice, alcohol consumption dropped to approximately 20% of pre-choice levels. The dams and pups showed no behavioural withdrawal symptoms. While the alcohol-treated litters showed greater variability in litter size and more pup deaths during nursing, the maternal behaviour of the alcohol dams was essentially normal, with only their pup protectiveness being rated lower than that of the control dams.