Entertainment World

By now, you’ve read that Beyonce maybe, isn’t, probably, might be, and definitely is pregnant. Rumors circulated on Sunday after the 33-year-old singer posted an Instagram photo showing herself buried in the sand with what appears to be a super-round stomach. 

Photo aside, Beyonce has always made it clear that she plans to expand her family with husband Jay Z. During a 2013 interview withGood Morning America, she said, “I would like more children. I think my daughter needs some company.” And that same year she told GQ magazine, "Giving birth made me realize the power of being a woman. I have so much more substance in my life." Further fueling Beyonce baby rumors are “sources” who keep fans updated through the tabloids. In November, an “insider” told OK magazine, “If all goes well, they’ll start trying for a baby before Christmas. She wants to be pregnant by spring.” And in December, another source confirmed Beyonce’s pregnancy to In Touch magazine: “She’s pregnant again! She’s been trying for so long, so she’s thrilled. And she’s dying for a boy this time!” (For whatever it’s worth, former “Destiny’s Child” member Michelle Williams went on “The View” on Monday and denied the rumors.)

Likewise, pregnancy rumors have always plagued Kate Middleton, even snowballing since she and husband Prince William confirmed their second pregnancy in September. Hello! magazine speculated that the royal couple was “expecting twins.” And in December,Hollywood Life claimed that Amal Clooney got pregnant on her honeymoon (because marrying George Clooney wasn’t exciting enough). Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Garner, and Rihanna have also received similar treatment.

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So how are baby rumors born? Usually with a photo, says Richard Ayoub, editor-in-chief of the celebrity website Rumor Fix. “There’s a tactic called ‘photo assumption,’ in which a story is spun from a single image,” he tells Yahoo Parenting. Examples: Celebs are photographed from angles that make their stomachs appear rounder, wearing loose clothing, or attending a party without an alcoholic drink in hand. Sometimes stars speak up (in February, Eva Mendes told Ellen DeGeneres that she avoided an airport security scan because of “creepy” radiation, not because she was pregnant) in order to squash rumors or buy time until they issue a baby announcement. Other times, a star’s silence generates more press. “With someone like Jessica Biel, who hasn’t confirmed or denied her pregnancy, the paparazzi chases her even more in the hopes of getting that exclusive shot,” explains Ayoub.