Parental ethanol consumption can influence the offspring phenotype. In this way, we analyzed the impairments of maternal and paternal high ethanol consumption during postpuberty on the physical development, feeding pattern, puberty onset and reproductive function of ethanol-naive offspring to birth to adulthood. Female and male UChB rats (voluntary 10%, v/v ethanol consumer) were divided into a control group (C) and an ethanol exposed group (E) from 65 to 80 days of age. The C and E were mated at 100 days. The maternal parameters and offspring development and reproduction parameters were monitored. We observed reduced feeding intake and body weight in the dams of E group throughout gestation and lactation period. Delay in physical development, lower body weight and altered feeding pattern were observed in female and male offspring of E group. In addition, the puberty onset was delayed in both sexes, with lower testosterone levels in the juvenile and pubertal males. There was a prolongation on the estrous and proestrus phases in females from E but the estrous cycle duration did not change between groups. Ovary and uterus weight were reduced in pubertal and adult females from E group. Reduced epididymis and seminal vesicle weight, increased sperm abnormalities, decrease in the daily sperm production and accelerated epididymal transit time were observed in E males. The high maternal and paternal ethanol use on postpuberty impairs the parameters of ethanol-naive offspring inducing alteration on development and reproduction.

The relationship between adolescent ethanol uses and its impacts throughout life is not conclusive. Thus, we evaluated if the low and high consumption of ethanol during the postpuberty period interferes with reproduction in adulthood, the ethanol-naive offspring development and if there are dose-related effects. Females and males rats were divided into three groups: low drinker (L), with UChA rats fed with ethanol ad libitum drinking < 1.9 g / kg / day, high drinker (H), with UChB rats fed with ethanol ad libitum drinking from 2 to 5 g / kg / day, and control (C), with rats without access to ethanol. The L and H groups were exposed to ethanol 10% (v/ v) from 65 to 80 days, with withdrawal after this period. The study was conducted in two phases. The retrospective analysis (1st phase) verified the consumption of ethanol between sexes, the litter size, and the sex ratio of offspring. The gestational and reproductive parameters of parents and the development of pups were analyzed in the 2nd phase. We observed a higher consumption of ethanol in females and a reduced litter size in both drinkers groups. Body weight gain and gestational feed consumption were lower in L and H. The offspring body weight was also lower associated with alteration in landmarks of physical development. The high postpubertal ethanol use accents the impacts on consumers and offspring. The paternal and maternal reproductive organs weight was altered in group H, with an increase in morphologically abnormal sperm. We conclude that low and high post-pubertal alcohol consumption impairs reproductive parameters, even after withdrawal with long-term effects. Ethanol-naive offspring are also harmed, with effects associated with the dose of ethanol.

The relationship between adolescent ethanol uses and its impacts throughout life are not conclusive. Thus, we evaluated if the low and high consumption of ethanol at postpuberty interferes with the reproduction, ethanol-naive offspring and if the effects are dose-related. Female and male rats were divided into three groups: low drinker (L), high drinker (H), and control (C). The L and H groups were exposed to ethanol to 10% from 65 to 80 days with withdrawal after this period. The ethanol consumed by low drinkers was 1.41 ± 0.21 g/ kg / day and high drinkers 4.59 ± 0.45 g/ kg / day. The study was conducted in two phases. The 1st phase verified the reproductive capacity in adulthood on generations (litter size and sex ratio). Data were collected over ten years. The 2nd phase analyzed the parent reproductive parameters (body weight, reproductive organ weight, sperm parameters and estrous cycle) and the pup development. We observed a reduced litter size in both drinker groups. Gestational body weight gain and feed consumption were lower in L and H. We observed an alteration in reproductive organs weight in both sexes of H. Females presented a longer estrous cycle duration. Males presented an increase in abnormal sperm, a decrease in sperm count and accelerated transit time. The ethanol-naïve offspring development was also impaired. We conclude that low and high postpubertal alcohol use impairs long-term reproductive parameters, even after alcohol withdrawal. There is also impaired ethanol-naive offspring. Besides, the effects are dose-related.