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The Duchess of Cambridge managed to look impossibly graceful when she detached a heel that became trapped in a street grate on Sunday.
But by drawing attention to her footwear, Kate, who is believed to be five-and-a-half-months' pregnant, sparked a conversation about whether women should be wearing heels at all while expecting.
Doctors in the U.S. have warned that mothers-to-be could be putting their unborn babies at risk by wearing towering shoes.
The Grate Escape:Â By drawing attention to her footwear on Sunday, the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge sparked a conversation about whether women should be wearing heels at all while expecting
Beverly Hills Podiatric Surgeon Stanley Orwasher told ABC News: 'When you're pregnant you're going to change the center of gravity... Fall over you're going to hurt yourself and hurt the baby.'
And he is not alone in his concern. Despite the fact that high heels are de rigueur for celebrity mothers-to-be, often well into the third trimester, other doctors agree that pregnant women should step away from the stilettos.
In a Q&A on Babycenter.com, pediatrician Jennifer Shu echoed Dr Orwasher almost verbatim, while OB-GYN Catherine Lynch added that comfort may become a factor for pregnant women too.
'As you get further along in the pregnancy you'll probably want to go to a lower heel, because your center of gravity will be constantly changing and walking in heels will be harder to manage,' she said.
Keeping her cool: The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured today, seemed unfazed by her high heels - but how will she feel about them in the third trimester, when many women start sticking to flats?
'Usually at about 25 weeks I recommend going to a lower heel, especially if you're having a lot of back pain.'
This advice does little to put off women in the public eye though. Rachel Zoe, Jessica Simpson, Kourtney Kardashian and Snooki, to name just a few, all wore high heels until late stages of their pregnancies.
'When you're pregnant you're going to change the center of gravity... Fall over you're going to hurt yourself and hurt the baby'
Victoria Beckham appeared to have paid the price for wearing heels late into her fourth pregnancy, though, after suffering a slipped disc.
Indeed, Lorraine Jones, from the UK's Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists warned women not to mimic the A-list as seven in ten British women have suffered foot problems in pregnancy including swollen ankles and feet and foot arch and heel pain.
'Many of the pregnant celebrities you see wearing high heels in magazines are attending events so, like them, try to keep your high heeled, high fashion shoes for a special occasion and stick to a more supportive shoe on a daily basis,' she said.
'High heels alter your posture, shorten your calf muscles and place increased pressure on your back and knees.
Devoted to heels: Victoria Beckham's love of platforms late into her fourth pregnancy is believed to have caused her slipped disc (left), while Jessica Simpson stuck to stilettos till the very end
'In pregnancy this places extra pressure on your joints when they are already under strain, which can result in a host of foot, leg and back problems and could increase the likelihood of falls.'
Maternity concierge Rosie Pope, herself a mother-of-three and the star of Bravo's Pregnant in Heels, says each woman needs to listen to her own body.
'For me personally, I feel good when I think I look good, and wearing in heels is a part of that,' she said.
'If you're good at walking in heels, then you should be able to wear heels... It's very important to make the right choice for you, as long as you are putting that baby first.'
Wedges, she advised, could be a happy medium.
'I love the idea of pregnant in wedges,' she said. 'Wedges give you the extra height, they make you feel very sexy and sassy.'
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