The stigma of alcohol use during pregnancy: Exploring the impact of alcohol strength and social context on public perceptions.

ABSTRACT: Alcohol use during pregnancy remains a major public health concern, with societal expectations of abstinence often resulting in stigma toward women who drink. To examine stigma and discrimination attributed to pregnant women consuming alcohol of varying strength and social context, within hypothetical scenarios. We explored whether greater stigma was attributed to consuming alcohol in social settings vs. alone, and whether consumption of low and alcohol-free drinks are less stigmatised than standard strength alcohol drinks. The research employed a vignette-based experimental design across three studies, involving hypothetical social scenarios depicting alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Participants were randomly assigned to alcohol (3 levels: no, low and standard alcohol) and social co

SUBMITTER: Burton S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12782365 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature