Genetics Can Mediate Vulnerability To Alcohol's Effects During Pregnancy
Monday, April 27, 2009 - 09:21
in Health & Medicine
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to teratogenesis, the development of embryonic defects. The estimated incidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, referring to a wide array of alcohol-exposure effects, is approximately one percent of live births in the US. Yet not all women who drink during pregnancy give birth to children with observable deficits. A mouse study has found that genetics may help to explain alcohol-related susceptibility and resistance.