PSA: Pregnancy Can Change Your Face, So Can We Knock it Off With the Rude Comments?

Former Bachelorette Jojo Fletcher recently shared a message via Instagram stories to the "trolls in her DMs" who've been telling her to "stop putting filler" in her face. "I look 'plumper' than usual...it's called being tired, puffy, and pregnant," she wrote. She's not alone: It seems like every time a woman in the public eye is pregnant, people start speculating that she's had "work done" or "blown up her face with filler". The reality? Pregnancy 'puffy face' is a thing. 

Pregnancy can make a woman's face look different. So if you've ever seen a friend who is expecting and wondered if she's gotten some lip filler — or if you've ever looked at your own face while you're expecting and thought "hm, something is different, I just can't put my finger on it"...well, this might explain it.

The truth is, we have this idealized image of what a pregnant woman "should" look like thanks to media depictions. For many of us, this image is at least partially informed by pregnant characters in movies or on TV, where a non-pregnant actress literally has a prosthetic bump shoved up her shirt while everything else remains unchanged. Because of that, we don't have a real concept of how pregnancy doesn't just change the shape of your belly.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, swelling during pregnancy is normal, as the body produces about 50 percent more blood and fluid. This swelling can appear in the feet, hands, ankles, legs and yes, the face. This swelling typically appears around the fifth month of pregnancy and increases in the third trimester. 

One thing to note: Mild swelling is normal, but severe swelling can be a sign of preeclampsia — so if you notice that you’re alarmingly puffy, give your doctor a call immediately.

But if you notice a pregnant woman — whether it’s a friend, a celebrity, or even yourself — looking a bit puffier in the face? Reserve the comments. Saying “lay off the filter” is both incredibly rude and wildly ignorant. 

Ask Clara: Why do I swell up during pregnancy?