Britain's Prince William leaves after officially opening the Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre, in Oxford, central England
Britain's Prince William leaves after officially opening the Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre, in Oxford, central England September 8, 2014. Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate are expecting their second baby, Buckingham Palace said on Monday. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

Kate Middleton may have been forced to announce her pregnancy a bit too early, according to reports.

Middleton and her husband, Prince William, announced on Monday, Sept 8 that they were expecting their second child. While it would be another occasion for greater media attention, she should have waited for a few more weeks before the announcement. According to speculations, it was not even 12 weeks since Middleton had conceived the second royal child. However, Global News reported that the royal couple was apparently forced to make the announcement after Middleton had skipped a number of appearances with her husband. The couple apparently had to give an explanation why Middleton could not make it to those appearances. She missed a scheduled visit to Oxford with husband William on Monday as well.

Middleton suffered heavily from hyperemesis gravidarum during her first pregnancy. She had to take supplementary nutrients and hydration. She was also hospitalised at King Edward VII Hospital to deal with severe morning sickness. Similar symptoms reappeared this time as well, which made people assume the possibilities. She was required to receive medical attention and was admitted at Kensington Palace. Reports suggest that she is going to need to similar medical attention this time as well. Hyperemesis gravidarum is such a medical condition which causes extreme weight-loss during pregnancy due to persistent vomiting.

According to Canadian obstetrician Dr Doug Hepburn, women should not announce their pregnancy to a wider number of people before they cross the three-month mark. "If you tell everyone and then you miscarry, people you don't know well will be bringing it up and you'll have to explain it," he said. Hepburn also said that the risk of miscarriage would be around 20 per cent more in the first trimester. If Middleton faces such unfortunate occurring, it will be even more difficult for her because of the extreme media attention she gets on a regular basis. Explaining a miscarriage over and over again may be even more painful for any parent.

According to experts, the biggest advantage of announcing pregnancy early is that a mother gets immediate attention pretty early during her pregnancy. The comfort and support by her near and dear ones can be handy for any mother.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au