Research on lower body shape of late pregnant women in Shanghai area of China

• The anthropometric data of lower body of late pregnant women was collected.
• The late pregnant women's body shapes were analyzed from different aspects.
• The body shapes were classification into two types based on hip and abdomen.
• The change trend of each late pregnant month is also expressed.

Anthropometric data, especially the data of lower body of late-pregnant women, has become an immediate need for ergonomic design of maternity products, such as clothing, related motherhood supplies, maternity support products, and so on. So 55 late pregnant women in Shanghai area of China were randomly selected for this lower body shape research. By anthropometric measurement method 18 dimensions were measured to characterize lower body shape of late pregnant women. Mean values, standard deviations (SD), coefficients of variation, and percentiles for each variable were estimated. It was found that the morphology of hip and abdomen mostly influenced the lower body shape. Then according to the characters of hip and abdomen, the late pregnant women's lower body shapes were divided into two types. Moreover this paper also analyzed the change trend of lower body shape along late pregnancy months (7 to 9th months). As a result of this research, the late pregnant women's lower body shapes were described from different aspects which were thought to provide a guide for the maternity products design.Relevance to industryThe anthropometric data is essential to design reasonable and professional maternity products for late pregnant women, such as maternity support products, maternity clothing and so on. Especially this study can benefit the maternity garment industry. Moreover utilization of the anthropometric data, product designers would be able to outfit to a wider range of target users.