[The “alcohol and pregnancy” link in training in nursing or social work: A topic to reconsider?]

Alcohol consumption by pregnant women and its related dangers have been a major concern for public authorities for almost twenty years. Students finishing their training in nursing or social work are only slightly over twenty themselves. The job they are soon going to practice, as a graduate nurse, social worker, financial and family counsellor, or a specialized teacher, can lead them to come into contact with pregnant alcohol-drinking women.Based on a survey conducted in a training center for these two types of students, this study aims to understand the knowledge and representations these students have on the issue of “alcohol and pregnancy” within their future field of work.Despite having received little or no training on this topic, these students are aware of the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. As future professionals, they are poorly equipped, but they do feel able to deal with this issue. Some of them also demonstrated social misrepresentations about the people who would be affected by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. All these elements call for a rethink about the training methods that should be provided to them.