The combined effects of chronic
ethanol ingestion and fasting (24-hr fast, except water, prior to delivery) were examined in term pregnant rats and their offspring. Rats fed liquid diet containing 5% (w/v)
ethanol (EF) consumed fewer calories than those fed control diet and exhibited reduced
weight gain relative to either ad libitum-fed (AF) or pair-fed (PF) controls. While the number of live fetuses at term was unaffected, fetal body and liver weights were reduced in EF litters.
Blood glucose levels were significantly lower in EF fetuses although maternal
glucose levels did not differ between the groups.
Liver glycogen levels also were reduced in EF fetuses, without any change in plasma immunoreactive
insulin or immunoreactive
glucagon levels. Both active and total
glycogen synthase and
phosphorylase were significantly lower in livers of EF fetuses than in livers of control fetuses. After delivery,
blood glucose and plasma immunoreactive
insulin levels fell more slowly in EF neonates than in either control group, but EF neonates remained
hypoglycemic at 4 hr postnatal, whereas glycemia in both control groups had recovered to normal. Plasma immunoreactive
glucagon levels in EF were elevated during the first 2 hr following delivery relative to either AF or PF controls, and
hepatic glycogen levels were reduced in EF neonates during the entire interval studied.
CONCLUSION: