Alcohol-induced changes in blood gases, glucose, and lactate in pregnant and nonpregnant rats.

The effects of alcohol and pregnancy on venous blood pH, gases (pO2, pCO2), bicarbonate (HCO-3), and glucose and lactate were examined in pregnant and nonpregnant female rats using anaerobic analytical methods of blood collection. Baseline measurements were obtained prior to treatment and then at 30 min, 1, 2, and 4 h after gastric intubation with 0, 2, 4, or 6 g/kg of alcohol. Alcohol produced a metabolic acidosis, increases in blood glucose and lactate concentrations, and an increase in blood oxygen concentration. Gestation days 18-19 (0.8 gestation) of pregnancy were associated with a slight alkalosis, a decrease in oxygen concentration, no effect on glucose concentrations, and an increase in lactate concentrations compared with nonpregnancy. The only significant interaction between alcohol and pregnancy occurred for pO2 and O2C, wherein alcohol increased both of these parameters in nonpregnant animals only. These results indicate that the rat's pH response to acute alcohol infusion is unique because alcohol does not produce any significant changes in blood pH in other animal models. This change was similar in both pregnant and nonpregnant animals. Except for changes in blood oxygen content, the pregnant and nonpregnant female rat's response to alcohol were also similar as well.