title: Morphologic changes in offspring of female mice exposed to ethanol before conception.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to evaluate the mutagenic effects of preconceptional ethanol exposure by use of the mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three adult female CF-1 mice were divided into one of five groups with or without an ethanol diet for 28 days. Mice were then superovulated and mated. On day 14 of gestation all mice were killed and fetuses removed and examined for abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mutation index for the study and mutagen groups was similar (48% vs 41%). The percentage of any anatomic abnormality in any treatment group were between 50% and 100%. Anomalies of the abdominal wall were most commonly seen in the mutagenic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic ethanol exposure in the female mouse before conception yields anatomic abnormalities in the offspring. These mutagenic effects may be variable in that they may result in a dominant lethal mutation or a delayed interference with organogenesis. Ethanol consumption, whether before or after conception, poses an unfavorable outcome in the offspring produced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Soltes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radwanska
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D000431:Ethanol