It’s April Fool’s day and everyone loves a funny prank. But among the fake news stories and ridiculous adverts for fake products there is one April Fool’s joke that just isn’t funny: The fake pregnancy announcement.
While it may seem innocent enough, the common prank is a huge slap in the face for people who are coping with fertility issues or miscarriage.
Tara Shafer explains: “For those who have been trying to conceive and have not yet been successful, fake pregnancy announcements aren’t funny.
“For families coping with miscarriage, a fake pregnancy where an announcement is made and then unmade in a spirit of fun can be crushing,” she says.
Shafer notes that social media can be a minefield when you are trying to get pregnant.
“Women struggle with remote baby envy and rise above it. They comment. They heap love upon a friend. This can mean having to face down dark demons of envy,” she explains.
In Australia, as many as 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. And for women that are living with the heartbreak of losing a longed-for baby, fake pregnancy announcements can exacerbate that loss.
So if you are thinking of pulling this prank today – think twice.
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