Rapid alcohol exposure in early pregnancy (more than 6 drinks per hour) shows significant molecular changes in the placenta of mice, including alterations in gene expression and DNA methylation, an epigenetic marker that influences gene expression by acting like a switch

>For a long time, it was thought that exposure to alcohol during the preimplantation phase, when the fertilized oocyte goes from a single-cell to an embryo of a hundred or so cells, had no effect on the unborn baby, provided the embryo succeeded in implanting in the uterus.
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>But over the last few years, McGraw’s team has demonstrated that this isn’t the case. The young embryo may survive this exposure, but brain development may be altered to varying degrees, they’ve found

>In male embryos, the regulation of growth-related genes was more affected, corroborating data showing that males are more vulnerable to growth retardation after preimplantation exposure to alcohol.
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>In females, it was mainly the regulation of genes involved in the metabolism of serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter for brain development and function, that was affected.
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>This suggests that a disruption in this signalling pathway could contribute to the morphological defects in the brain that were observed in the mouse model.

>Using a mouse model well-suited for exposure to alcohol, McGraw and his team observed significant molecular changes in the placenta, including the expression of numerous genes and DNA methylation, an epigenetic marker that influences gene expression by acting as a switch.
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>Since the placenta plays a central role in the development and health of the fetus, these changes could have major consequences for the child’s future, the UdeM scientists believe. The study also shows that these DNA methylation alterations could provide a robust molecular signature for detecting alcohol exposure in early pregnancy.
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>This proof of concept, the scientists say, paves the way for the development of diagnostic tests in humans enabling early detection of alcohol exposure from the very first days of a newborn’s life

Paper: [Sex-specific DNA methylation and gene expression changes in mouse placentas after early preimplantation alcohol exposure – ScienceDirect](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024006007#s0100)

Pregnant or not, six drinks an hour is a death wish.

Stay away from mice when you’re drinking