Katie Price Faces Charity Backlash Over 'Fake' Pregnancy Announcement
Katie Price has been strongly criticised by a pregnancy loss charity after sparking speculation that she was expecting a baby with her husband, Lee Andrews, only to confirm five days later that this was not the case. The former glamour model ignited rumours on February 18th with a social media post claiming she was having Andrews' child, aimed at his ex-partner, Alana Percival.
Social Media Posts Fuel Pregnancy Speculation
In her initial post, Price stated, "I know all about you and who you are at least I'm the real woman he has found and deserves, but please just enjoy watching us build our empire as I’m having his child." Over the following days, the couple further fuelled the speculation. Andrews posted a picture on his Instagram story showing the pair holding hands, captioned "Perfect couple soon to be a triple" alongside a pregnancy emoji. He later shared a Snapchat photo of his hand on Price's stomach with the word "Greatful."
YouTube Revelation Sparks Outrage
On February 23rd, Price held up a pregnancy test in a video, telling fans they needed to subscribe to her YouTube channel to learn the truth. In the clip, she revealed, "So everyone, do you want to know the answer? Here’s the answer. No, I’m not pregnant – but one day I will be. Hopefully that clears all the speculation up. Just because we say we’ll have kids, [it’s because] one day I will." She added, "There’s your answer… not pregnant."
Charity and Public Condemnation
The announcement triggered a strong reaction from the public and charities. Kay Crewdson, Partnership Director for CRADLE, a national mental health charity supporting those affected by baby loss or termination, commented, "We are here for anyone affected by Katie Price’s recent confirmation that she is indeed not pregnant. We understand how triggering this will be and the effect it will have had on so many who have or who are experiencing baby loss or fertility issues."
Many social media users accused Price of treating pregnancy as entertainment. One person wrote, "As someone with endo and pcos who has lost multiple pregnancies, lying about being pregnant and claiming you then aren’t is sick behaviour." Another added, "For people that are struggling with fertility she should know better than to joke about it." A third criticised, "How can anyone use pregnancy as a form of entertainment or to gain more attention online?"
Price's History with Fertility Struggles
Katie Price has been open about her fertility challenges over the years. She documented her attempts to conceive via IVF with former partner Carl Woods in a Channel 4 documentary, Katie Price: Making Babies. The programme highlighted her dwindling hormone levels and egg supply, with doctors indicating she had less than a one percent chance of pregnancy using her own eggs due to signs of menopause.
Price has experienced multiple miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy. Last year, she revealed a miscarriage with then-partner JJ Slater, discovered during scans around Christmas time. She has expressed a desire for more children, considering options like surrogacy and IVF.
A representative for Katie Price declined to comment on the recent controversy. The incident has sparked discussions about sensitivity towards fertility issues in public discourse.
