Why Chinese women are doing maternity photoshoots wearing fake baby bumps

The trend, however, raised concerns about the image of 'white, skinny, and young' beauty standards it is promoting. (Representational image)

Women in China have latched onto a new trend wherein they take part in maternity shoots with fake baby bumps so as to have pictures of them "pregnant" while in their prime. At a time when the country is witnessing low marriage rates and declining birth rates, several single women are choosing to capture and celebrate their significant moments, much to the shock of many Chinese parents, who wonder how “single but pregnant,” once considered shameful in traditional Chinese culture, has now become popular among Generation Z, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The popularity of this trend is driven by women’s desire to ensure they have beautiful maternity pictures regardless of body changes later during their possible pregnancies.

The “premade maternity photos” trend was triggered into a national craze after a Generation Z influencer shared a video and pictures of a similar shoot on social media. Meizi Gege, who has more than 5.7 million followers on a major social media platform, said, "While I’m still slim, I wore a fake belly to take maternity photos and enjoyed a pre-made life. I even did it with my best friend!”

In the video, Meizi is seen donning the “fake belly” while proudly showing off her slim figure. SCMP quoted a 26-year-old woman saying that she had already taken her maternity photos at 23, despite not being married. Another woman claimed she had taken wedding photos at 22, “just in case I get wrinkles by 30”.

The trend, however, raised concerns about the image of “white, skinny, and young” beauty standards it is promoting. It is promoting anxiety about appearance and body image among new mothers as it suggests the unrealistic expectation that women must maintain a youthful, slim figure during pregnancy.