Tetratological evaluation of mouse fetuses after paternal alcohol ingestion

Numerous studies have appeared in the literature which suggest that paternal alcohol consumption may have adverse effects on subsequent offspring. However, to date, no teratologic examination has been performed on fetuses conceived subsequent to paternal alcohol consumption. The present study has examined fetuses conceived by alcohol-treated male Swiss webster mice for gross anatomical congenital defects in an attempt to evaluate a possible mechanism for decreased viability of offspring sired by alcoholic males. Sexually mature males were maintained for 28 days on a total liquid nutriment diet in which alcohol (6.3%, v/v, U.S.P. ethanol) comprised 32% of the caloric content. Subsequently, the animals were mated with nulliparous females. On day 18 of gestation, the gravid females were sacrificed and the fetuses were examined for congenital defects. Only 14% of the matings which occurred 3--5 days after alcohol treatment resulted in pregnancy, as compared to a pregnancy rate of 100% for matings from pair-fed controls during the same period. Fetuses sired by alcohol-treated males during this time had reduced birth weights (0.85 +/- 0.04 g vs 0.92 +/- 0.11 g;p = 0.059) and crown-rump lengths (1.83 +/- 0.06 cm vs 1.99 +/- 0.11 cm;p less than 0.001) as compared to control fetuses. The frequency of congenital defects did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups. No significant differences were noted between experimental and control progeny conceived more than 5 days after alcohol treatment. These results suggest that although some changes may be seen in progeny sired by alcohol treated males, the specific anomalies associated with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are most probably not due to paternal alcoholism.