Katrina Scott Makes History as the First Visibly Pregnant Model in the SI Swimsuit Issue

Katrina Scott was photographed by Derek Kettela in St. /Croix USVI.

Breaking boundaries is second nature for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. In 2021, the magazine had three separate history-making covers. Meghan Thee Stallion was the first rapper on the SI Swimsuit cover, Naomi Osaka was the first female Black athlete, and Leyna Bloom was the first transgender cover model. And the 2022 issue will feature another groundbreaking shoot: the first visibly pregnant woman.

This year Katrina Scott returned for her photo shoot with a baby bump in tow. The 38-year-old fitness personality and entrepreneur has been open about her battle with infertility while trying to conceive a second child, including walking the SI Swimsuit runway during uncomfortable IVF treatments. So celebrating the journey by being the first visibly pregnant woman to shoot for the issue was particularly rewarding for the mom.

Here Scott shares a bit about her shoot in St. Croix and why this is an important moment for all women.

What does it feel like to be the first visibly pregnant woman in SI Swimsuit history?

"It’s so crazy because I feel like I’ve been on my fertility journey while being part of the Sports Illustrated family. They have been there for me through all the ups and downs. When I first had a miscarriage, the whole team at SI sent the most beautiful arrangement and checked in on me. Then when I walked the runway, I was doing my IVF treatments. And then I was asked to be back in the publication, but pregnant. This is really an SI Swimsuit, baby!"

Do you think this marks an important moment?

"I was talking to my mom who said years ago, when women would get pregnant, they would hide their bodies and bumps. Then postpartum, they were expected to show how fast they bounced back. I feel like we’ve come a long way in recent years where maternity clothing isn’t a huge mumu. We’re not hiding our bodies. We’re wearing outfits that show your bump and show that you are pregnant. This is a time and place when women should be proud of their growing and changing bodies. It is very cool to have an extra 40 pounds on me, some cellulite and stretch marks on this shoot. My changing body was embraced. And I hope that I represent all the women at home that feel like they have to hide their body because it’s changing"

How was it doing the shoot while pregnant?

"Usually, it can be an intense shoot day. But everyone was very relaxed and sweet. Wherever we walked on the beach, someone always held my hand. And since I’m always naked at home because nothing fits, I kept begging [editor in chief] MJ [Day] to do a shot without a swimsuit. They were very flexible with the swimsuits and made sure they felt very natural and organic. I felt like the more bump, the better. I’m here to celebrate this body because it’s been through a whirlwind between our two miscarriages, our chemical pregnancy, and now through IVF. So, choosing the swimsuits was easy because the less, the better."

Were there any special moments that stood out?

"There was a rainbow behind us for the shirt shot. When you’ve experienced loss and have a baby, they call it a rainbow baby. So it's totally a rainbow baby."