Pregnancy is a time of excitement and anticipation for most women, but it can also be an extremely stressful period. During the second trimester, for example, many women experience morning sickness and nausea, which can lead to weight gain that can put their babies at risk. And for some, that stress can make them more susceptible to mood swings.
For some, those mood swings can also cause them to seek out sex online. This is especially true for pregnant camgirls, a group of women who earn their living by exposing themselves in live-streamed videos. Despite the fact that these models are often mocked and ridiculed for their appearance and body, they are making thousands of dollars a month by engaging in sexual acts in front of their audience.
It’s a booming industry, one that some are even using to help fund their child’s college tuition. But is it fair to exploit pregnant women in order to do so?
In recent years, there’s been a rise in pregnancy pornography. The genre is gaining popularity with men who are interested in a more intimate and realistic view of female nudity. Some of these videos feature women who are at various stages of their pregnancy, from pre-conception to labor and delivery.
However, some of these videos aren’t intended for a mainstream audience and can be offensive or even disturbing to viewers. As such, they have caused controversy within the AVN community and are not considered “fair use” of copyrighted material. Some cam girls have even been accused of committing sex crimes against their pregnant viewers, which could result in criminal prosecution.
While some women are deciding to quit the porn industry before their due dates, others are using their pregnancy as an opportunity to expand their careers. Farra Love, a 37-year-old from Colombia, Maine, for example, started her own pregnancy-themed webcam in 2015 and now makes thousands of dollars a month by streaming four hours a day.
But despite the high revenue, the work can be emotionally and physically taxing on pregnant women. Parijat Deshpande, a Los Angeles-based media and public health consultant who studies maternal stress and wellbeing, says that the hormones of pregnancy can increase a woman’s vulnerability to stressors.
And that’s not to mention the fact that a baby can be a major financial strain, with new parents spending money on everything from binkies to nursery monitors. It’s no wonder, then, that websites and social media apps are increasingly targeting pregnant women with their content.
When AVN performer Jenny Versteeg became pregnant last year, she was forced to reconsider her career options. Unlike Rotten, she decided to continue her career and started filming fetish videos. However, she soon discovered that TikTok’s algorithm had figured out her condition and began pushing her video after video about pregnancy tragedies, including miscarriages, genetic disorders and stillbirths. It was a constant barrage that made her anxious and stressed. It’s a feeling that many pregnant camgirls have experienced, and some say it has even led them to leave the industry entirely.