Social representations and alcohol use during pregnancy
Women are drinking more alcohol than ever, and some persist during pregnancy despite common knowledge that alcohol in pregnancy is teratogenic. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is more prevalent in Quebec than in the other Canada provinces, and more affluent pregnant women drink alcohol during pregnancy than do less affluent women. A better understanding of women perceptions of alcohol drinking during pregnancy could help to adjust interventions of prevention taking their point of view into account. The present study aimed to explore the social representations of pregnant women regarding the use of alcohol in pregnancy, and more specifically to determine whether their representations are influenced by social class. A qualitative investigation allowed the authors to document the ideas expressed by 31 women belonging to different socio-economic strata. Subjects were recruited via public prenatal courses, and also via an enriched prenatal programme designed to help disadvantaged pregnant patients. Women of different socio-economic classes formulate different social representations regarding alcohol consumption in pregnancy, although they shared a common ground in which all subjects expressed disapproval of heavy alcohol use in pregnancy. Disadvantaged patients were more critical of moderate alcohol use in pregnancy, and seemed to base their opinions on common sense. More affluent women were less categorical, and based their opinions mostly on knowledge, coming in particular from written documentation. These women deplore the confusion regarding the possible existence of an acceptable lower limit of alcohol consumption in pregnancy as well as certain inconsistencies in the prevention messages given to them. The women who participated to this study wish to receive accurate and complete information about alcohol drinking. They want to receive clear and precise recommendations on this topic in order to make informed choices.