Alcohol during pregnancy chemically alters fetal DNA epigenetically

[Guest guest]

* Alcohol during pregnancy chemically alters fetal DNA.

<http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18390-alcohol-during-pregnancy-chemically\

-alters-fetal-dna.html>

Drinking too much during pregnancy can harm offspring permanently.

Now experiments in mice suggest this may be because alcohol

chemically alters the fetus's DNA, affecting how genes are

expressed...

Previous studies have shown that factors in the mother's environment

during pregnancy can cause " epigenetic " modifications to the fetus's

DNA. These don't alter the genetic code itself but might switch certain

genes on or off, or increase or decrease their expression.

~New Scientist

*