Pregnant in Heels: Stars Who Won't Give up Stilettos

Sept. 7. 2011— -- intro: Beyonce take note: Victoria Beckham learned the hard way what happens when celebrities are unwilling to sacrifice fashion for pregnancy.

Beckham, who gave birth to her fourth child, daughter Harper, in July, has been seen sporting, gasp, flats around town instead of her ususal towering heels after she reportedly suffered a slipped disc.

The former Posh Spice, who has been known to tool around town in five-inch stilettos, wore high heels even in the late stages of her pregnancy -- but not without cost. It's presumed that heels are to blame for her slipped disc and that she is now under doctor's orders to wear flat shoes.

If other stars have taken note of Beckham's predicament, they are not letting on.

After announcing on the red carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards that she was expecting her first child, Beyonce later rocked the stage in a pair of high heels while performing "Love on Top!" At the end of her set, she opened her sparkly tuxedo jacket and rubbed her obviously swollen belly.

Stilettos for pregnant women are not inherently dangerous, according to doctors. But when a woman's weight and shape changes during pregnancy, so does her center of gravity. Because of this, she may be more prone to falls, which could have dire consequences. Otherwise, a lot of the risk is to her own comfort.

Dr. Manuel Porto, professor and chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, also said that the arched back posture that is used by most pregnant women to accommodate the change leads to low back pain. Wearing high-heeled shoes and boots can exacerbate those problems, especially as feet start to swell in the later months.

"Most obstetricians recommend that patients wear flat shoes or those with less than a two-inch heel, especially in the third trimester," Porto said.

Try telling that to these celebrities. Click through to see the list of stars who won't let pregnancy interefere with fashion.

ABCNews.com's Mikaela Conley contributed to this report.

quicklist: 1category: title: Amanda Holdenurl: text:

Soon after announcing that she was expecting her second child, English actress and "Britain's Got Talent" judge Amanda Holden was photographed wearing a pair of sky-high heels that would make Beckham proud.

Despite losing her last pregnancy in the seventh month, Holden, who stars in the West End production of "Shrek the Musical," does not appear to be exercising caution with her footware.

'This time I just know everything is going to be fine," she was quoted saying in the U.K.'s Daily Mail.

quicklist: 2category: title: Rachel Zoeurl: text:

Rachel Zoe hardly skipped a beat when she became pregnant with her first child.

For an afternoon on the town in Los Angeles with her husband and friends, the celebrity stylist rocked thigh-high stiletto platform boots, along with a belted black shirt-dress with a knit bomber jacket.

A slave to fashion, Zoe announced then that she did not even own a pair of flat shoes had she chosen to wear one.

But since giving birth to Skyler, Zoe ditches her heels whenever she has her her son in tow.

media: 14458453caption:related: 12868848

quicklist: 3category: title: Kate Hudsonurl: text:

Expecting her second child, Kate Hudson sported on-trend nude Christian Louboutin peep-toe heels on a number of occasions.

For her appearances on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," she paired the towering heels with an ultra-chic baby doll dress with blue embroidery.

Later, in the final stretch of her pregnancy, she once again donned the sky-high heels for a charity dinner.

media: 14458464caption:related:

quicklist: 4category: title: Alicia Keysurl: text:

When Alicia Keys arrived on the concert stage for "Good Morning America" four months pregnant with her first child, she wore a beige jumpsuit and striped stilettos.

A couple weeks later she donned a pair of five-inch heels while performing at the Essence Music Festival and this time took a tumble. Luckily she landed on her bottom, and she and the baby were fine.