Combined effects of caffeine and alcohol during pregnancy on bones in newborn rats.

The combined effects of caffeine and alcohol on mineral contents of fetal mandibles and femurs were studied. Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: group 1, control; group 2, caffeine; group 3, alcohol; and group 4, caffeine-plus-alcohol. Alcohol (1.0 g ethanol/kg body weight) was intubated twice daily, beginning at day 9 of gestation. Caffeine (2 mg/100 g body weight) was given as a dietary supplement. Groups 1 and 2 were intubated with isocaloric sucrose solution. At birth, randomly selected pups were killed and the mandible and femur were removed and dried. Ca, P, Mg, Zn and hydroxyproline in these bones were measured. Notwithstanding the dams' intake of caffeine and alcohol administered separately, the present results suggest that the combination of caffeine and alcohol exhibited the most detrimental effects.