Background. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses risks to the baby’s development. As a result, health authorities recommend abstinence during this period. To guide public policy, it is necessary to monitor changes in the general public’s understanding of these risks. Methods. Three telephone surveys were conducted in 2004, 2007, and 2015 among three independent samples of the French metropolitan population aged 15 and older, selected using the quota method (3,014 individuals surveyed in total). Results. The proportion of people who believe it is appropriate to abstain completely from alcohol during pregnancy remains stable (84%). However, only 22% state that the baby’s health is at risk starting with the first drink of alcohol (vs. 30% in 2007), and 37% believe that these risks only arise with daily consumption. Discussion. While the recommendation to avoid alcohol during pregnancy appears to be widely known, agreement on the relevance of this recommendation is not universal, as the risks associated with occasional consumption are downplayed. The French public’s knowledge on this subject appears to have declined since 2007, underscoring the need to strengthen public information on this topic.[author’s abstract]