While there are undoubtedly some less-than-pleasant aspects of pregnancy, (morning sickness, itchy skin, hemorrhoids), being an expectant mama brings with it a couple of extra perks (literally).
For mama-to-be Serena Williams however, it's all about the lips.
"Pregnancy lips are finally here!" the tennis star wrote on snapchat, adding that she was just a tad excited.
Image/Snapchat
Williams, who accidentally announced her pregnancy via Snap Chat in April, shared a picture of her pregnancy-enhanced pout.
As it turns out, pregnancy lips are, indeed, a thing. While many of us experience swelling during pregnancy in our ankles and feet, as the body produces more blood and body fluids, for some women the fluid retention is evident in their lips.
More recently, Beyonce's rep, Yvette Noel-Schure, issued a statement defending the star, who was pregnant with twins, against claims she'd had lip-fillers during her pregnancy.
"What do you know about the effects of pregnancy on a woman's entire body?" Ms Noel-Schure said.
"Please tell me. Did you know that in addition to weight gain there is often a dramatic change in the blood flow in the system and increased fluid causing swelling? Do you know that often women's gums get swollen? Do you know that it sometimes affects our speech, our ability to chew intently and a host of other things?"
"But the sacrifice to our faces, our feet and our entire bodies is something we welcome because we bring beautiful humans into the world who will one day combat your hate and negativity."
While some swelling during pregnancy is normal, expectant women should be vigilant around sudden swelling in the hands and face as it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. This is also true of severe, sudden swelling in the ankles and feet.
Contact your doctor, hospital or midwife immediately if:
- swelling is there at the start of the day
- if your face, feet or hands swell up suddenly
- if the swelling is more than you had previously experienced.