Effect of paternal alcohol ingestion on fetal growth in rats.

To determine the effect of paternal alcohol consumption on fetal growth, male rats were given ethanol in drinking water and rat chow ad libitum (alcohol group), or water and the same amount of rat chow as that consumed by the alcohol group, but the ethanol was substituted isocalorically with corn starch (pair-fed group), or water and rat chow ad libitum (ad libitum control group). The ethanol concentration in the drinking water was 10% (v/v) for the first week, 20% the second week, and 30% during the next four weeks. After six weeks on this regimen the male rats were mated with females of the same strain not treated with alcohol. The rate of fertile matings was not significantly affected by the paternal alcohol intake. On day 21 of gestation no significant differences were seen with respect to fetal and placental weights, litter size or male to female sex ratio of the fetuses among the alcohol, pair-fed and ad libitum control groups. The results indicate that rat fetal growth is not sensitive to the effects of paternal alcohol consumption.