Lactation and prolactin release in foster dams suckling prenatally ethanol exposed pups.

The effect of prenatal ethanol exposure on lactation was studied employing prenatally ethanol-exposed pups transferred to foster dams following parturition. During pregnancy, from day 8 to term, dams consumed either standard laboratory chow (ad libitum control), or liquid diets containing 0%, 17.5%, or 35% ethanol derived calories (EDC). To equalize caloric intake, the 0% and 17.5% EDC groups were pair-fed to rats in 35% EDC group. Following delivery, pups born to dams fed with laboratory chow (control) or liquid diets containing 0, 17.5, or 35% EDC were adjusted to eight per litter and transferred to foster dams, which had been fed laboratory chow and water ad libitum throughout pregnancy. Foster dams were implanted with an atrial catheter on day 3 of lactation. On days 6 (early lactation) and 10 (midlactation), following separation of litters from dams for a 6-hr period, a baseline blood sample was removed via a catheter extension. Pups were weighed and returned to the dams. Subsequent blood samples were obtained 10, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after initiation of suckling. Suckling latency and the amount of milk consumed during the 3-hr suckling were also determined. Litters were weighed on days 2, 6, 10, and 21. The prolactin surge in foster dams in response to suckling by prenatally ethanol-exposed pups was not altered on day 6 of lactation. On day 10, after the initial rise, suckling-induced prolactin was amplified in dams suckled by prenatally ethanol-exposed pups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)