Alcohol self-administration disrupts reproductive function in female macaque monkeys.

Female macaque monkeys self-administered high doses of alcohol (2.9 to 4.4 grams per kilogram per day) for 3 to 6 1/2 months. Amenorrhea, atrophy of the uterus, decreased ovarian mass, and significant depression of luteinizing hormone levels were associated with chronic alcohol intoxication. Reproductive system failure in female primates following self-induced dependence on alcohol parallels the results of clinical studies of alcoholic women.