International Journal of Management (IJM) Volume 12, Issue 1, January 2021, pp. 358-366. Article ID: IJM_12_01_030 Available online at http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=12&Issue=1 Journal Impact Factor (2020): 10.1471 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510 DOI: 10.34218/IJM.12.1.2021.030 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed MATERNITY WEAR PRACTICES OF RURAL AND PERI-URBAN WOMEN: AN ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES Anuradha N.Yadav Ph. D. Scholars in Fashion (Design/Tech./Mgmt.), Amity University, Mumbai, India Dr Bhawana Chanana Director of Fashion (Design/Tech./Mgmt.), Amity University, Mumbai, India ABSTRACT Maternity wear is an inevitable need for the pregnant women to adapt themselves to the pregnancy driven major bodily changes. Modern day maternity wear not just ensures the comfort of the expecting mothers but also enhances the fashion appeal thereby allowing to retain the self-identity. Comfort in combination with style makes maternity wear the most sought after clothing solutions for the pregnant women. However, till date the timely use of appropriate maternity wear is more prevalent in the urban areas as opposed to the rural and peri-urban areas. The current study thus intends to assess the popularity of maternity wear among the rural and peri-urban women. Key words: Maternity Wear, maternity fashion, accessibility, comfort, rural, peri-urban Cite this Article: Anuradha N.Yadav and Bhawana Chanana, Maternity Wear Practices of Rural and Peri-Urban Women: An assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes, International Journal of Management, 12(1), 2021, pp 358-366. http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=12&Issue=1 1. INTRODUCTION Pregnancy in women ushers in multiple physical, biological, and psychological changes. The changes in terms of body structure are the most notable ones. The body weight increases drastically as the mother not just carries the child in her womb but is also responsible for providing the nourishment to the child. Hence, the intake of food increases during the pregnancy phase as opposed to the normal daily diet routines. Specific nutritional guidelines intended for pregnant women recommend an addition of 300 kcal to the existing daily calorie intake. Increased calorie intake reflects in the overall weight of the mother (Morais et al., http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJM 358 [email protected] Maternity Wear Practices of Rural and Peri-Urban Women: An assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes 2017). Typically, the extent of weight gain during pregnancy may vary from 5 pounds to over 100 pounds. Additionally, breast size also grows significantly. Biological changes include increase in the blood volume by 40-50%, increased levels of aldosterone resulting in a 50% increase in the plasma, and 20-30% increase in the volume of red blood cells (RBCs) (Power et al., 2018). The major shift in the hormonal levels during pregnancy induces changes in the psychological behavior of pregnant women. The mother may experience frequent episodes of mood swings and impulsive and anxiety shocks. The increased levels of emotional turmoil and multiple bodily changes impact the overall life of the mother significantly (Talmon & Ginzburg, 2018; Watson et al., 2016; Morais et al., 2017). Although the impact is not a negative one, it is natural for the mother to feel stressed about the overall changes experienced during the pregnancy phase. It is imperative that measures are taken to enhance the feel-good quotient. One of the effective approaches could be the use of maternity wear solutions. Maternity wear can be defined as specially designed clothing that is intended for increasing the comfort level of pregnant women without compromising with the style. Comfort in combination with style makes maternity wear the most sought after clothing solutions for pregnant women. However, till date the timely use of appropriate maternity wear is more prevalent in the urban areas as opposed to the rural and peri-urban areas. The current study thus intends to assess the popularity of maternity wear among rural and peri-urban women. 2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES The aim of the study is to assess the trends of maternity wear in modern society and the accessibility among rural and peri-urban women. The objectives are as follows- To assess, investigate, and establish various bodily changes during pregnancy in relation to garments. To study the most common choice of garment styles during the maternity period. To assess the differences in maternity wear accessibility. To assess the preponderance of maternity wear among rural and peri-urban women. 3. LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1. Bodily Changes during Pregnancy Pregnancy involves a myriad of changes within the body. Apart from the standard changes, the exact changes during pregnancy are dynamic and may change from one person to the other. Multiple researches have been conducted over the years to review the bodily changes that the mother undergoes during the pregnancy phase. Skouteris et al., (2005) in their study identified the factors that led to body dissatisfaction among the pregnant women. In this regard the authors anticipated higher levels of depression, social pressure, body shaming, and self-consciousness of the public would pose as the prospective predictors of body dissatisfaction among the pregnant women. To substantiate the same a questionnaire based survey was conducted involving 128 healthy pregnant women at four time points, prior to pregnancy, early pregnancy phase, mid pregnancy phase, and late pregnancy phase. Responses revealed that women adapted themselves to the changes during different phases of pregnancy. However, adapting to the bodily changes was the most during the early to mid- second trimester. In terms of predictors that further complexed the pregnancy related bodily dissatisfaction comprised both social and psychological factors. Another study by Clark et al., (2009) reported dissatisfaction among the pregnant women while they attempted to positively adapt themselves to the pregnancy related body changes postpartum. Although, the body functionality and new sense of life during the pregnancy phase averted the negative thoughts http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJM 359 [email protected] Anuradha N.Yadav and Bhawana Chanana concerning the physical changes of the body such as weight gain, lack of the similar feelings post-birth emerged to be a concern and a source of societal and personal dissatisfaction. Watson et al., (2016) in their study focussed on the body image experiences faced by the pregnant women. To fulfil the study objectives the authors conducted structured interviews with nineteen pregnant women. Conducting a thematic analysis, the study identified five distinct themes. The first revealed that the experiences perceived by the pregnant women concerning the body image were complex and dynamic. The women perceived mixed feelings dominated by both joy and discontentment, about their body changes. The second theme proposed on recognising the functionality of the body, the women were capable of negotiating with the pregnancy induced bodily changes. The third theme concerns the amusement among the pregnant women concerning the nature of the public towards a pregnant body. The fourth theme highlighted the importance of support from the partner. Pregnant women highly valued partner support. Finally, the last theme proposed the need and importance of open communication concerning the weight and body image issues in antenatal healthcare. In the concluding remarks the authors opined that the holistic understanding of the women's experiences during pregnancy necessitates adaptation and expansion of the existing body image theories. Morais et al., (2017) in their study evaluated the relationship between changes in the body mass index (BMI) percentile and perinatal outcomes. To fulfil the study objectives a cross- sectional study was employed involving 1,279 women. Medical charts, prenatal cards, and interviews were the research instruments used for collecting data during the postpartum period concerning the following factors- weight gain during the gestational period, sociodemographic characteristics, and perinatal outcomes. Based on the Atalah curve, a reference curve that utilizes BMI of the pregnant women to gauge their nutritional status, classified women into the following four categories- low weight, adequate weight, overweight, and obese. Comparing the BMI of the pregnant women for the first and last prenatal care visits, the study revealed that 19.9% of the pregnant women experienced an increase in the BMI category as per the Atalah classification. Highest increase in the BMI points was noted for the obese category (6.4 points). However, the chances of increase in the BMI was lower for women who possessed high school education. The chances of cesarean (C) section delivery and/or fetal macrosomia was higher for the women who reported increase in the Atalah classification. The authors thus concluded that the BMI of the pregnant women had far reaching impacts during the time of delivery and that education level of the mothers influenced maintenance of the appropriate BMI during pregnancy. 3.2. Maternity Fashion Liminal transitions, refers to the instability and ambiguity that occur throughout the lifespan and is identified as a significant period of transition during the course life where an individual's identity may remain suspended. During this phase the individual's consumption and possessions emerges as a symbol for self-representation.