It sounds impossible, right? How could someone post my ultrasound before I even knew I was pregnant? Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened—and it was as shocking and unsettling as it sounds.
How It Started
I’d been having some unexplained stomach pains, so my doctor ordered a series of tests, including an abdominal ultrasound. Pregnancy was the last thing on my mind. I was there to figure out if I had gallstones or something similar.
When the technician started the scan, she paused for a moment, then asked, “Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” I laughed and said, “I don’t think so,” but she didn’t elaborate. The scan continued, and I left without getting any results right away.
The Unbelievable Moment
The next day, I was at work when my phone started blowing up with messages: “Congrats!” “OMG, is this true?!” “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Confused, I opened my social media to find my cousin Leah had posted a blurry screenshot of an ultrasound image with the caption: “Guess who’s expecting! Baby on the way! Can’t wait to be an auntie!”
I froze. The ultrasound was mine—I recognized the date and my name in the corner of the image.
The Horror Sets In
My first thought was disbelief. My second was: How did she even get this?
I called Leah immediately. She was giddy. “I saw it when I was over at Aunt Carol’s. She said you’d had an ultrasound and thought it was so cute, so I snapped a picture. Everyone’s so happy for you!”
I could barely speak. “Leah, I didn’t even know the results yet. I haven’t spoken to my doctor. I haven’t told anyone.”
She gasped. “Wait… you didn’t know?”
“No,” I said firmly. “And now the entire internet knows before I do.”
Why It Was Such a Violation
Finding out you’re pregnant—or not—is one of the most personal, life-changing moments a person can have. That news belongs first and foremost to the person whose life it affects. Leah’s post had ripped away my right to process that information privately, to share it with my partner, and to decide how to tell the people I care about.
It also created chaos—friends, coworkers, and extended family were calling and texting nonstop, and I had to keep saying, “I don’t even have the full details yet.”
Confronting Leah
I told Leah, “You had no right to take that picture or post it. Even if I had known and been pregnant, that announcement would have been mine to make, not yours.”
She apologized, but it was half-hearted. “I just got excited. I thought you’d be happy.”
“This isn’t about happiness,” I said. “It’s about respect. You took something incredibly personal and made it public without my consent.”
The Aftermath
A few days later, my doctor confirmed I was pregnant—but the joy of that moment was overshadowed by the way it had unfolded. I didn’t get to share the news with my partner in a quiet, intimate way. Instead, we spent the evening fielding calls from people who had already seen the post.
I also had to put out a social media statement explaining that I had just learned the news myself and asking people to respect our privacy going forward.
Moving Forward
Leah and I still talk, but our relationship is strained. She’s lost access to a lot of my personal information, and I’m much more careful about who I trust with sensitive details. I’ve also learned to be proactive in telling medical staff and family: “No sharing anything until I’ve shared it first.”
Final Thought: Life-changing news—especially something as personal as a pregnancy—belongs first to the person experiencing it. Sharing it without their knowledge or consent isn’t excitement; it’s a violation.
