Tracking Size and Shape Changes During Pregnancy

This paper documents several methods used to study shape change. The data from the “Accommodation and Occupational Safety for Pregnant Military Personnel” Study (commonly referred to as the “Pregnant Women's Study,” or “PWS”) is used to demonstrate these methods because it is easy to show the tracking of significant shape changes that occur over an extended period of time. The PWS data will help demonstrate the importance of visualization in the study of shape change and the advantages of three-dimensional (3-D) scanning for visualizing and understanding these changes. The methods for studying shape change discussed in this paper have a broad application and are not restricted to pregnant women. In fact, these methods for studying shape change are applicable to people who gain or lose weight, and to determining the shape change between people of varying body shapes and styles.