EJMS

Abstract

Background: The teratogenic effects of alcohol exposure during development have been an intensive area of research for many years. Most recently, the term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders has been used to describe the wide spectrum of teratogenic effects of alcohol on individuals who are exposed to the drug during fetal development. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the end result, which is characterized by growth deficiencies, craniofacial dysmorphology and central nervous system dysfunction. Aim of the work: The aim of the present study is to identify the possible teratogenic effects of ethanol on the development of the albino rat embryo especially craniofacial and brain anomalies. Material and Methods: In this work thirty pregnant albino rats were used. The pregnant albino rats were divided into three groups. Group I: consisted of ten pregnant rats and used as control group that received nothing. Group II (sham control): will consist of ten pregnant rats and will be given equivalent amount of normal saline which given to group III by gastric tube for 10 days starting from the sixth day of determination of pregnancy. Group III (Ethanol group): will consist of 10 pregnant rats and will be given 3 g of ethanol per kg of maternal body weight diluted in normal saline by oral gavage for 10 days starting from the sixth day of determination of pregnancy. Results: In the present study pregnant albino rats in group I yielded 80 implantation sites with 5 resorptions, 74 living fetuses and 1 dead fetus. While, pregnant albino rats in group II yielded 90 implantation sites with 6 resorptions, 82 living fetuses and 2 dead fetuses. On the other hand, pregnant albino rats in group III yielded 80 implantation sites with 40 resorptions, 25 living fetuses and 15 dead fetuses. All fetuses were examined for external abnormalities then half of the fetuses were examined by free hand razor blade sectioning and the other half was examined for fetal skeletal defects after staining with Alizarin red. In the present Study the gestational period from sixth day to fifteenth day is a sensitive embryonic period in the albino rat for inducing developmental defects. The administration of ethanol to pregnant rats resulted in high degree of fetal resorptions, stillbirth and low birth weight. The rats exposed to ethanol prenatally showed generalized oedema, subcutaneous haemorrhage, macroglossia, nasal conches hypertrophy, microphthalmia, macrophthalmia, intestinal hernia with complete or absent ossification in skull bones. Also many ethanol exposed fetal rats showed dilation of brain ventricle, craniofacial defect and multiple internal organ defects. Conclusion: Ethanol has many teratogenic effects in the form of craniofacial dysmorphology, hydrocephalus, generalized oedema, umbilical hernia, subcutaneous haemorrage and internal organ defects. Our Study with ethanol has established that gestational age from sixth day to fifteenth day is a sensitive embryonic period in the albino rat for inducing developmental defects. So Ethanol should not be given during pregnancy to avoid its hazardous effect.