Effects of in Utero Exposure to Alcohol upon Male Rats

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Abstract
Ethanol ingestion by pregnant women can result in the development of the fetal alcohol syndrome in their progeny. To investigate the late consequences of maternal ethanol ingestion upon male progeny, pregnant dams were administered ethanol‐containing liquid diets from the 12th day of gestation to 10 days postpartum and their male progeny were compared to those of offspring obtained from dams isocalorically fed a liquid diet without alcohol in which Dextri‐MaKose isocalorically replaced the ethanol of the ethanol‐containing diet and those of dams fed a standard rat chow ad libitum. A significant decrease in body weight at birth (p < 0.0001), at weaning, and at 55 days of age (postpuberty) (p < 0.005) was found for the in utero ethanol‐exposed animals as compared to that of the animals obtained from the two control groups. Anogenital distances and indices (measures of masculinity) in the male progeny were reduced (p < 0.001) on days 1 and 5 in the alcohol‐exposed animals as compared to those of the two control groups. Testes and prostate‐seminal vesicle weights of the alcohol‐exposed animals were reduced on day 55 (p < 0.05) and again on day 110 (p < 0.01) as compared to those of the two control groups. Similarly, serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were reduced significantly on day 55 (p < 0.05) in the alcohol‐exposed animals but not in the controls. No difference was noted at 110 days of age in testosterone and LH (luteinizing hormone) levels between the various groups. However, sexual motivation and performance were reduced in the alcohol‐exposed animals as compared to that of the two control groups. These data suggest that in utero alcohol exposure of male rats results in less phenotypic masculinization at birth and reduced growth of the testes, prostate, and seminal vesicles, a delayed attainment of adult levels of tetosterone and LH, and abnormalities of adult sexual behavior.

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