Alicia Keys took a nasty fall on stage last weekend at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. The pregnant R&B singer was performing her hit song, Love is Blind, when she stumbled backwards and fell, landing on her rear end.

There were gasps in the audience and one eyewitness blamed the singer's four inch heels for the mishap, and commented that she looked unsteady on her feet even as she walked on stage.

But the real question is, why was the pregnant star, who is six months pregnant and due to give birth in November, wearing such high heels in the first place?

It is recommended that you avoid wearing dramatically high shoes during pregnancy. The curvature of a pregnant woman’s spine is exaggerated and there is an increased risk of falling – especially in a pair of high-heels.  When you are pregnant the joints of the pelvic bones will become soft and slightly separate as a result of a hormone called relaxin. This is what causes pregnant women to “waddle” like ducks. 

Pregnancy also causes the center of gravity to change as the uterus enlarges. All of this means you’re more likely to fall over and hurt yourself by landing on your bum, like Alicia, or worse still you could fall forward and land on your bump, risking damage or discomfort to your baby. 

Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to turn straight to flats if you really don’t want to. If you choose to wear heels then doctors recommend that they are no higher than 1-2 inches, and have a sturdy heel, rather than a thin stiletto one. But if you suffer from pregnancy conditions such as painful sciatica or edema (swelling) comfort should come first, and usually that will mean wearing a flat and supportive shoe. 

Alicia has probably learnt her lesson, and will be wearing low heels  for her next performance. But it’s worth remembering that a few months without heels are better than a damaged back, or a sore bum! 

Did you wear high heels during pregnancy? Or did you find your feet were sore, and you couldn’t even if you wanted to? We’d love to hear your stories!

Last Modified: 08/07/2010