Catherine Giudici addresses April Fools pregnancy prank

DALLAS, April 3 (UPI) -- Catherine Giudici and husband Sean Lowe say they didn't mean to offend with their April Fools' Day pregnancy prank.

The 28-year-old graphic designer and 31-year-old season 17 Bachelor took to social media to respond to backlash from the joke. Giudici pretended to be 17 weeks pregnant for the unofficial holiday, angering some fans who found the prank insulting.

"It was intended to be lighthearted and fun and certainly not insensitive," she wrote of the faux pregnancy post on Instagram. "My heart goes out to all the women struggling with fertility."

Lowe later defended Giudici on his blog, explaining the joke was meant to play off of "the bombardment of pregnancy comments she reads every day and messing with those who post them." The reality star said his wife gets "flooded" with such remarks every time she posts on Instagram.

"If you know anything about Catherine or have followed her for any length of time, then you know that she is one of the most caring, compassionate people you will ever meet," he declared. "If you are one of those who are struggling with fertility, I promise Catherine's heart breaks for you."

Lowe competed on season eight of ABC reality series The Bachelorette before being selected for The Bachelor. He proposed to Giudici at the final rose ceremony, and the couple married in January 2014. The pair recently slammed the new, two-woman Bachelorette twist as "disgusting."