Pregnancy April Fools Day Pranks are Deeply Unfunny

When I was trying to get pregnant, every single pregnancy announcement felt a bit like salt being poured on my wounds. I’m not proud of it, but it’s how I felt: I wanted to be happy for others when they announced their happy news, but I couldn’t help but feel like pregnancy announcements were just a constant reminder of what was not happening for me....no matter how badly I wanted it or how hard I tried. 

But you know what felt even worse than seeing a pregnancy announcement? Seeing jokes about pregnancy on April Fool’s Day. It felt like this thing that was so serious for me was just…a joke to the outside world. At least a legit pregnancy announcement meant happy news for someone. But a joke about pregnancy reveals? It just felt…crass. 

We’ve come a long way where sensitivity around fertility issues is concerned. Pregnancy reveal culture has changed. Yet somehow, not everyone has realized how insensitive and deeply unfunny April Fool's Day pranks involving pregnancy are. 

I’m so frustrated — yet not at all surprised — to see that people still don’t get this. Today, once again, I came across a fake pregnancy reveal with an AI-generated image of a woman with a faux baby bump.

I’ve also seen debates about whether or not it’s actually wrong to joke about pregnancy today...and I’ve seen a take that “people are too sensitive” in regards to the “no fake pregnancy reveals on April Fool’s Day” rule that has finally become a part of our culture, at least to some extent. This doesn’t surprise me at all, TBH.

The reality is: No. We haven’t gotten too sensitive. Actually, we are still not sensitive enough. The fact that we even have to tell people this, that people are still seeing pregnancy as the butt of the joke, is proof of that.

With the rise of AI, I think pregnancy pranks and scams — on April Fool’s Day and otherwise — will only become more common. Fake baby bumps and doctored ultrasound images will, unfortunately, be way easier for people to create.

It shouldn't have to be said, but clearly it does: Pregnancy is no joke. And it’s not something to joke about. Ever.