CHINA: A new trend has taken China’s social media by storm, raising eyebrows across the nation.
According to a recent South China Morning Post report, young, single women are now embracing a quirky new ritual — posing for maternity photos before they’re even pregnant.
These so-called “pre-set photoshoots” involve wearing fake bellies to capture a moment of beauty and youth before any potential life changes.
“Pregnant” look
The trend, which has particularly gained traction among Generation Z, sees women celebrating their prime years by preemptively taking maternity photos—a concept that has left many older generations, especially parents, bewildered.
In a culture traditionally focused on marriage and childbirth, the idea of single women posing with a fake pregnancy belly seems jarring.
The rise of this trend comes amid China’s declining marriage and birth rates, which have sparked widespread concern.
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, only 4.75 million couples registered marriages in the first nine months of 2024, continuing the trend of delayed or avoided marriages.
One of the catalysts for the growing popularity of pre-set maternity photos was a viral video posted by Meizi Gege, a Gen Z influencer from Hunan province, who boasts more than 5.7 million followers on social media.
On October 13, she posted photos from her maternity photoshoot, showcasing her slim figure and youthful glow.
In her video, Meizi, dressed in a sleek maternity outfit, proudly revealed her fake belly, laughing as the photographer and her friends helped her create the perfect shot.
She even shared her excitement: “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!”
The influencer’s video quickly captured the imagination of other young women, prompting many to share their plans to take similar photos.
One viewer commented, “I’m going to buy a fake belly and take maternity photos while I’m still at my slimmest!” Another 26-year-old graduate revealed that she had already taken her maternity photos at 23, even though she was unmarried.
Body image anxieties?
The trend is easy to pull off. Fake pregnancy bellies, available in a range of sizes and stages, are easily found on online shopping platforms.
The appeal lies in women’s desire to preserve an idealized image of themselves—slim and youthful—without the potential body changes that accompany pregnancy.
However, this phenomenon has sparked criticism as well. Critics argue that it perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards, emphasizing a “white, skinny, and young” ideal.
These pre-made maternity photos may inadvertently reinforce anxiety about body image, particularly among new mothers who may feel pressured to look a certain way during pregnancy.
The discussions surrounding the trend have sparked playful yet thought-provoking reactions from netizens. One person joked, “I’ll take my 70th birthday photos now and post them later to look younger!”
Another humorously quipped, “Maybe I’ll arrange my funeral photos before I die—it’ll make me look so young!”
While the trend may seem lighthearted, it touches on deeper self-image issues and societal expectations, adding a unique layer to the ongoing conversation about beauty and identity in China today.