The teratogenic effect of acetaldehyde: implications for the study of the fetal alcohol syndrome.

Pregnant mice were injected intravenously with either saline alone (controls) or 1% or 2% acetaldehyde in saline, on days 7, 8 and 9 of gestation. The uterine contents were examined either on day 10 or on day 19. Acetaldehyde-treated females had more resorptions both at mid-gestation and at term, though no significant difference in maternal weight gain was observed. Experimental embryos examined on day 10 were smaller, and had a higher incidence of developmental delay, as compared to controls. Anomalies of closure of the cranial and caudal regions of the neural tube were the most commonly noted defects. When examined on day 19, acetaldehyde-treated fetuses were significantly smaller and weighed less than controls. These results suggest a role for acetaldehyde in the production of some of the teratogenic effects of ethanol manifested in the fetal alcohol syndrome.