Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Long Bone Development

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can result in many adverse effects on the developing fetus, including growth retardation and cognitive and behavioural deficits. Previous research has also shown effects on bone, but it was unknown if these effects resulted from generalized growth retardation or from specific effects of alcohol on bone. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to determine if prenatal alcohol exposure specifically affects bone development or if bone effects are merely a part of the general growth retardation. Studies in this thesis showed that 1) prenatal alcohol exposure affects skeletal development at doses of alcohol lower than those required to affect general growth, 2) skeletal sites differ in their sensitivity to the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and 3) prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts the morphology of the growth plate of the fetal tibia. Taken together, these data suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure specifically affects fetal bone development. As the intrauterine environment may influence long-term bone health, the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on fetal bone development could potentially increase the offspring's bone health later in life.