Shakira shows off her baby bump wearing bikini alongside shirtless Gerard Piqué

Shakira and Gerard Piqué have released several portraits of the pregnant singer to celebrate the impending arrival of their first child.

Dressed in just a bikini top and skirt, Gerard Piqué also whipped off his shirt in one of the intimate photos which shows their closeness as they prepare for the birth of their son.

The images which were taken by Jaume Laiguana were uploaded to the internet as the couple have decided to team up with UNICEF to host a virtual baby shower.

Shakira, 35, is following in the footsteps of celebrities such as Demi Moore and Britney Spears, who have posed nude during the latter stages of their pregnancies.

However, rather than posing on a magazine cover, the Colombian born singer decided to share the candid photo on her Twitter page.

Using the social networking site to its full potential, the couple are welcoming fans and family into their interactive living room where they can purchase Inspired Gifts.

Presents such as mosquito nets, polio vaccines and baby-weighing scale can all be bought on the site with each item set to be distributed to children and communities in some of the poorest corners of the globe.

On entering the online baby shower, visitors are greeted with a personal message from Shakira and Gerard Piqué, the clip begins: “As you all know, we will soon be welcoming our first child into the world, and to celebrate his birth we’ve organised a virtual baby shower in association with UNICEF.

“In lieu of receiving gifts for our baby as with a traditional shower we would like to offer support for babies who live in conditions of extreme poverty throughout the world.”

Taking over from Gerard Piqué, Sharika continues: “Thanks to all of you, they will receive in the form of inspired gifts therapeutic food packages, vaccines, and rehydration salts which will help save the lives of hundred of thousands of babies throughout the world.

“We’d like to thank you in advance, and we are very very happy to know that we can count on your support.”

As an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sharika explained why she had chosen to give share her baby shower with the world.

She said: “Every expectant parent around the world shares all the same hopes and dreams for their children that we do.

“Yet many don’t share the same opportunities. Together we know we can change that.”

While the due date hasn’t been revealed to the public, the couple who live in Barcelona will soon share their new home on which building work was recently completed, with a bouncing baby.

Shakira and the FC Barcelona player met in the spring of 2010 when he appeared in the music video for her world cup song Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

She officially confirmed their relationship on 29 March 2011 via Twitter and Facebook posting a picture of the two with a caption reading: “I present to you my sunshine.”

Gerard Piqué who is a centre-back for FC Barcelona, the city’s illustrious team caused panic by falsely announcing the arrival of their child on December 27.

The sportsman made the false announcement to dupe fans for Dia de los Inocentes, the Spanish equivalent of April Fools Day.

Shakira, who is to be judge on the next series of The Voice, is in her final stages.

Earlier this week Shakira stepped out in Barcelona, Spain, to celebrate the launch of father William Mebarak’s new book Al Viento Y Al Azar (At Wind And At Random).

She has spoken about how she used to watch her father write his stories on a typewriter and asked for one as a Christmas gift.

And by the age of four had already written her first poem, La Rosa De Cristal (The Crystal Rose).