ETHANOL AND PARTURITION - A ROLE FOR PROSTAGLANDINS

A common pattern of birth defects was reported in children born to alc oholic women over 20 years ago.(1,2) Shortly thereafter the constellat ion of defects became known as the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,(3) and repo rts from around the world served to acknowledge the pervasiveness of t he disorder.(4-15) Simultaneously with the clinical reports, animal mo dels were developed to characterize the full spectrum of the teratogen ic effects of ethanol.(16) Not only did these animal models serve to d efine the actions of ethanol on fetal growth and development at the mo lecular(17,18) pharmacological,(19) neuroanatomical,(20) and behaviora l(21,22) level, but unintentionally, they have resulted in renewed sci entific interest in the effects of ethanol on pregnancy and parturitio n itself. The purpose of this review is twofold. First we will consoli date and summarize data from both clinical and basic research that per tains to ethanol and parturition. These data will demonstrate that eth anol consumption during pregnancy results in both delayed as well as p remature delivery depending upon the pattern of consumption and timing of exposure. With these data as a background, the second objective wi ll be to present a theoretical case for prostaglandins as possible med iators of ethanol-induced effects on the onset of parturition.