Justin Bieber Faces Backlash Over Pregnancy April Fool's Day Joke: 'That Is So Inconsiderate'

To many women who struggle with conceiving, getting pregnant isn't something to joke about

Justin Bieber may have thought he was making a harmless joke when he shared an ultrasound image on social media, but many people don’t find pregnancy something to joke about.

On Monday, the singer, 25, shared an ultrasound photo on Instagram without a caption, causing fans to imply that he and wife Hailey Baldwin were expecting their first child.

However, the model, 22, quickly clarified in the comments section, writing, “Very funny…”

But then, just minutes after he posted the ultrasound, Bieber shared a set of photos that showed Baldwin surrounded by medical professionals touching her stomach area. “If U thought it was April fools,” he wrote along with the three photos.

The singer went on to share a third photo — which was quickly liked by his wife — that showed the same ultrasound image, but with a puppy photoshopped in, seemingly confirming he was making a joke all along.

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Parents newsletter.

As many social media users were quick to point out, joking about pregnancy can be hurtful to many people who have struggled with conceiving or have lost their children.

“Of course justin bieber will think a pregnancy announcement would be funny on April fools. esp so when 1 in 7 women have had a miscarriage. not to mention those suffering from infertility,” wrote one Twitter user.

Splash News

“I’ve never been mad at @justinbieber but today I’m disappointed in him for posting a fake pregnancy announcement,” added another. “Honestly, not a funny joke when millions of women are struggling with infertility and other issues of the sort. Sad, @justinbieber.”

Wrote a third, “Justin Bieber faked a pregnancy announcement… Why?! That is so inconsiderate. People struggle with loss and infertility every single day. Pregnancy announcements are not a joke. Give your damn head a shake…”

Even before Bieber’s posts, many social media users had begun advocating to put an end to the countless amount of fake pregnancy announcements that get made every year on April Fool’s Day.

“I’ve already seen too many pregnancy April fools.. Although I personally was blessed to have had a safe and healthy pregnancy please be thoughtful for those who struggle. Pick a different prank today!” wrote one Twitter user.

Sharing a handful of statistics, another user pointed out how many people — not just women — are impacted by the loss of a child.

“1 in 4 women miscarry. 1 in 8 couples experience infertility. 1 in 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth,” they wrote. “Think before you prank on April Fools Day, because pregnancy is not a joke. Don’t degrade something so precious and valuable.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.1 percent of women between the ages of 15 to 44 struggle with infertility.

RELATED VIDEO: Michelle Obama Reveals She Felt ‘Lost and Alone’ After Suffering a Miscarriage 20 Years Ago

Brandi Glanville also faced criticism on Monday for joking about being pregnant.

“5 weeks now third times a charm… and y’all thought all of my eggs were scrambled,” she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post that has yet to be deleted from Twitter.

After deleting the post on Instagram, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star addressed the situation, writing, “I deleted my April fools joke on IG BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TO F— SENSITIVE & I don’t feel like fighting today.”

In 2017, Arie Luyendyk Jr. and his now-wife Lauren Burnham found themselves in hot water after making their own faux pregnancy announcement on April 1.

“Secrets finally out, we have a bunny in the oven! @laurenburnham91,” he wrote on social media, alongside an image of a woman, who appeared to be Burnham, clutching what looked like a baby bump.

After over an hour, Luyendyk Jr. responded to his own photo, writing, “APRIL FOOLS!”

He went on to apologize for the joke gone wrong, writing on Twitter, “I do have sympathy for women struggling from infertility. My April Fools prank was in no way meant to offend women who struggle with that. I apologize if you were effected [sic] personally by my post.”

The couple is currently expecting their first child together.