Pregnant Women Waddle Like Penguins, Research Says

Pregnant women waddle like penguins, a new biomechanics study has shown. The study has shown that their baby bumps caused pregnant women to have this altered way of walking as early as three months into their pregnancy.

"Biomechanics studies like ours of how humans move are valuable for many things, like making our built environments safer or designing mobility skills," Professor Koichi Shinkoda from Hiroshima University, Japan was quoted by New Zealand Herald report as saying. The researchers used infrared cameras and studied eight pregnant women and seven non-pregnant women in their laboratory for the study.

Pregnant Women Vulnerable To Falls

According to the report, the researchers found out that even in the first three months of pregnancy, the women's center of mass shifted forward. The pregnant women reportedly leaned backwards as they stood and bent their hips lesser as they walked.

Waddle like penguin. https://t.co/rarIdLd6xu #pregnant #waddlelikeapenguin

— Heavenly Bump (@heavenlybump) July 4, 2016

Leaning backwards and lesser bending of the hips resulted into frequent loss of balance for pregnant women, according to the report. Accidental falls were said to be behind 25 percent of trauma injuries during pregnancy. The researchers also found that pregnant women face the same risk of falling as 70-year-old women.

Pregnant Women Observed Using Movie Tool

The researchers used a 3D motion capture system that was used in the Lord of the Rings movies and other movie blockbusters that used computer generated images, according to Daily Mail. Through this, the researchers were able to see how being pregnant changed the women's everyday movements including standing, turning, walking and carrying a light load.

Seven-month pregnant mother-to-be Becky Veira listed a penguin stride as one of eight unspoken body changes in her post in Baby Center. "Now when I walk (if you can even use that word) I look like a penguin. But it's not quite as cute in my case, and I'm pretty sure no one would be interested in watching YouTube videos of me walking, as they do with penguins."

Have you observed pregnant women waddling like penguins? Write your comments below.