Effect of daily ethanol exposure in late gestation on FAEE concentration in fetal meconium.

<p>Bars depict FAEE concentration (sum of four) in meconium (averaged rectal and colonic concentrations for each fetus) of ethanol-exposed (groups 1 and 3) and non-exposed fetuses (groups 2 and 4). Data are presented as mean +/− SEM, <i>n</i> = 6–9 per treatment group, <i>n</i> = 15 for combined ethanol and control groups. Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparison test was used to compare FAEE concentrations between the four different treatment groups. No statistically significant differences in FAEE concentrations were found between untouched and saline controls (groups 2 and 4) or between surgically instrumented and non-instrumented fetuses exposed to ethanol (groups 1 and 3) (<i>p</i>&gt;0.05). FAEE concentrations were significantly higher in the two ethanol-exposed groups (1 and 3) compare to the two control groups (2 and 4) (**<i>p</i>&lt;0.01 compare to saline, <i>‡p</i>&lt;0.05 and ‡‡ <i>p</i>&lt;0.01 compare to untouched control). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the average concentration between all ethanol-exposed (groups 1 and 3 combined) and non-exposed fetuses (groups 2 and 4 combined). FAEE concentrations were significantly higher in ethanol-exposed fetuses compare to unexposed controls (†††<i>p</i>&lt;0.0001).