In the past few years, pregnancy announcements have become the Hollywood excitement du jour. Beyonce, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Simpson, Kate Middleton. Every week it seems like another celebrity is announcing her pregnancy to the utter delight of fans who relish in following celebs through their pregnancies. When did celebrity pregnancy become so "hot"? And why is the public so fascinated by celebrity pregnancy?

Angelina Jolie helped make motherhood trendy (Creative Commons)

Once upon a time it was considered a huge inconvenience and even taboo for actresses to become pregnant. It could seriously halt a young starlet's career. In general, topics of pregnancy were not discussed publicly. Stars and politicians did not disclose their personal child-rearing attempts and failures. To learn that a woman had suffered a miscarriage was considered extremely personal information - people just didn't share about their marital and pregnancy experiences in the public way people share today.

For women, older traditions of secrecy and shame were sexist and patriarchal. Women were made to feel like they should cover their bodies and hide during pregnancy, only reemerging when their bodies were back to normal. In that regard, the freedom with which modern celebrities celebrate their bodies during pregnancy is refreshing. Demi Moore was one of the first stars to flaunt her pregnant body in fashion magazines; since then, many have gone on to emulate her confidence.

It has also become commonplace for unmarried women in the spotlight to bear or adopt children. Angelina Jolie, January Jones, Sandra Bullock and Denise Richards: these are just a few popular celebrity women who have adopted or had children on their own. Reaching a point in life when accomplished women have financial means and no worthwhile man, they choose to be a single parent. That development is truly powerful and liberating.

Legacy

Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince William all fall into a unique category of celebrity parents: legends. For legendary celebs, their offspring are inherently fascinating to the public. In the case of Michael Jackson's children, they are carrying on the legacy of a life cut too short. For Madonna's daughter Lourdes, she is the heir to the Material Girl throne. For Prince William's unborn child, well, that child will have very Royal shoes to fill indeed. 

Fans around the world feel connected to Prince William and Kate Middleton's much anticipated first child, not only because of the excitement of a new generation, but because of the ties this child has to Princess Diana, another famed celebrity who died too young in a tragic accident. Fans reveled in watching her raise William and Harry and mourned on behalf of the Royal sons who lost their mother too soon. For Kate and William, their child already has a profound fan base purely based on his or her inherited legacy. Given the sensitivities of the Royal Family about having a healthy baby heir, it's safe to assume fans will continue to hear about Kate's every bout of morning sickness until she gives birth.

Feeling Close to Stars

Following a celebrity through her pregnancy is an intimate way for fans to learn about and keep up with a celebrity's life. It is much different than trying to keep up with a movie or project they're working on - things that are foreign to most fans. Childbirth, on the other hand, is something fans can relate to. It is a humanizing topic that allows fans to feel like they are connecting with celebs. In a way, it is humanizing to see a flawless female celebrity go through the physical transformation of pregnancy. 

With the advent of Twitter, Facebook fan pages and other social media platforms, fans can truly feel like they are part of the celeb's maternal experience, depending on how much they share and disclose. In the age of reality TV and social media, many stars choose to share A LOT as they experience personal joys and struggles. Some celebs are quick to sell baby photos to tabloids, sign on for reality TV shows and blog to fans throughout their pregnancy. For interested fans, celebrity baby-watching is popular because it is accessible and encouraged by celebs.

Is Our Obsession Creepy?

Sure, it can be argued that fan-love for celebrities and their children is flattering. It can also be argued that pregnant women are beautiful in their natural form, but is our society's obsession with shouting "She's having a baby!!" about celebrities we don't even know kind of strange? Does the obsession with celebrity baby-making fuel interest by young people to have babies earlier in life? Does the fact that we have a "Teen Mom" problem in our country correlate to our celebrity baby obsession? 

Read a little too much US Weekly, and having kids these days does kind of look like Paris Hilton having a Chihuahua in 2005 - fun and easy. Uh-oh. Celebrities are depicted as carrying their kids in 6-inch Louboutins while the child is outfitted in Burberry and baby Uggs (likely in-kind donations because their children are FAMOUS). It's completely unrealistic. None of that glitz and glamour applies to average people. 

It's easy to see their glamorous baby-rearing lives and glorify things. To that extent, perhaps the obsession needs to be toned down.

Reach Staff Reporter Ashley Riegle by email. Follow her on Twitter here.