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Japanese women celebrate pregnancy with maternity nudes

An increasing number of women who have just one child later in life are flocking to photo studios to have their pregnant bellies photographed to celebrate their bodies during a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"I was so happy during my pregnancy," said 40-year-old Kumiko Yoda, who gave birth to a boy on July 19. "This moment will not come back to me again and these pictures are for my own enjoyment." Yoda was encouraged by a friend who showed her maternity nude photos that she had had taken of herself and just one month before her baby was born. "Whenever I see these pictures, I can recall how I looked and how happy I was when I was pregnant," says Yoda.

The trend of taking pregnant nude photos, which has been growing over the past few years, exploded when J-pop singer 'hitomi' published a pregnant nude picture with her new album last June. The picture was displayed on large billboards over busy streets in Tokyo and the related photo book became a bestseller, selling more than 10,000 copies in its first week of publication, according to local media.

"The special feeling of waiting for motherhood helps alleviate the fear of nudity. And with more women becoming pregnant at a late age, for them this is an experience that will never happen again," said Yuko Ishizaki, an assistant professor at Japan Women's University.

2009.08.05 Reuters