Abstract
The influence of ethanol consumption during pregnancy on maternal-fetal transfer of amino acid was studied. Pregnant rats were fed a liquid diet containing 30% ethanol-derived calories from gestation-day 6 to 21; control rats were pair-fed identical diets, except that sucrose substituted isocalorically for ethanol. On gestation-day 21, 2 uCi/100 g body weight of 14C-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid ( 14C-AIB) was injected into the maternal circulation, and 90 minutes later maternal blood and liver, placentas and fetuses were removed for radioactivity measurement. No differences between ethanol-fed and control rats in the distribution of 14C-AIB in maternal plasma or the uptake of 14C-AIB by the maternal liver were observed. However, the radioactivities in placenta and fetal tissues suffered a significant 20 to 40% reduction in the ethanol-fed group, suggesting that ethanol feeding during pregnancy impairs placental function.
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