Alcohol and fetal endocrine function.

Maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy represents a significant risk to normal perinatal growth and development. The mechanisms involved in the deleterious effects of alcohol on the fetus are unknown but may involve perturbations in fetal endocrine function. Consequently, we have begun to examine the effects of alcohol exposure on thyroid and adrenal cortical function in the chronically cannulated ovine fetus. Our results indicate alcohol exposure in utero affects both the pituitary-thyroid and the adrenal cortical system in the fetus. Fetal pituitary-thyroid function appears depressed and fetal adrenal cortical function increased by alcohol.