How are you, Mom? Have you been thinking of having another baby?
But wait, how old is your youngest? You might not want to rush when it comes to getting pregnant again, as it can lead to health consequences. It’s backed by science, too, with researchers recently revealing the minimum time between pregnancies that is best for a mother’s health.
So how long should you wait between pregnancies?
Study discovers minimum time between pregnancies
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women have one pregnancy, spaced out 18-24 months apart. However, according to a recent study, this isn’t necessary anymore.
According to their findings, the minimum amount of time between pregnancies should be at least 12 months. Waiting a year before having another child reduces the likelihood that both the mother and her child may suffer from health problems in the future.
Several dangers are associated with becoming pregnant again too soon after giving birth to a child. Premature birth, low birth weight, and maternal death are examples of these.
Dr. Wendy Norman is a senior author of the study. She believes the findings of the study are “encouraging news” for women over the age of 35 who desire to have more children.
For once, older moms “have excellent evidence to guide the spacing of their children” says Dr. Norman.
Many women should be able to achieve the recommended one-year spacing, and doing so will unquestionably be profitable in order to limit the likelihood of complications.
In a recent study, researchers have found that the minimum time between pregnancies should be at least 12 months. | Image Source: Stock Photo
Exactly what did the study find?
To answer how soon after giving birth can you get pregnant, a study was conducted by the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health. The study analyzed 150,000 women who gave birth in Canada.
The researchers published their results in the Journal of JAMA Internal Medicine.
Here’s a summary of what they found when moms got pregnant earlier than 12 months after delivering their previous child:
- Age doesn’t matter. Becoming pregnant again earlier than the minimum time between pregnancies (one year) was linked to extra risks for women of any age.
- But maternal risks differ by age. Moms over 35 risked maternal health issues if they had their next child too soon. Risks towards unborn babies, however, happened in all women, the highest being among 20- and 34-year-olds.
- Moms older than 35 who entered pregnancy six months after giving birth had a 1.2% risk of maternal death or injury. Not becoming pregnant for the first 18 months after delivery reduced this risk to 0.5%
- In contrast, younger women who conceived again six months after giving birth had an 8.5% risk of maternal death or injury. The risk falls to 3.7% if they became pregnant again after 18 months.
Risks of spacing pregnancies too close together
According to research, initiating a pregnancy within six months of giving birth is connected with an elevated risk of the following:
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Placental abruption or the placenta may partially or entirely peel away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery.
- Congenital disorders
- Maternal Anemia
- Schizophrenia
Furthermore, current evidence reveals that closely spaced pregnancies are linked to a higher incidence of autism in second-born children. Pregnancies that are less than 12 months apart are at the highest risk.
Pregnancies that are close together may not allow a mother enough time to recuperate from one pregnancy before moving on to the next.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding, for example, can deplete your nutritional reserves, particularly folate. If you become pregnant before replacing those reserves, it may have an impact on your health or the health of your baby. Inflammation of the vaginal tract that occurs during pregnancy and does not fully heal before the following pregnancy could also be a factor.
READ MORE:
Are you ready for a second baby?
What is the best age gap between kids?
When’s the best time to conceive
Pregnancies spaced too far apart
There are some additional risks when there is a five-year gap (or more) between a previous delivery and conception. The ideal spot for delivery is between 12 months and five years following the previous one.
Pre-eclampsia, labor that develops abnormally slowly, cephalopelvic disproportion (in which the baby’s head or torso is too large to fit through the mother’s pelvis), and other difficulties in childbirth have been linked to women who conceived more than five years after their previous delivery.
Tips to reduce pregnancy risks
Before becoming pregnant: prenatal care
- Eat a balanced diet and remain hydrated. That includes a balance in calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fibers. Choose wholemeal carbs instead of refined grains like white rice. You should also bulk up on folic acid, found in leafy vegetables. Load up on iron and calcium, too!
- Avoid cigarettes, alcohol, and harmful substances.
- Drink less caffeinated drinks like tea or cola, as they can make it longer to get pregnant. Green tea, though, is an exception.
- Don’t try out the new fad diets, as they can affect your ovulation and consequently your fertility.
- Go for your first prenatal visit. There, doctors will be able to test for any potential health issues you might have and advise you accordingly.
During pregnancy
Image from Shutterstock
- Load up on healthy food such as spinach (folate), fruits (vitamins and fiber), and milk (calcium) to keep your body in tip-top condition.
- Go for short, slow walks to keep good blood circulation. Besides, the fresh air can do wonders to improve your mood. Go to the beach or a quiet park to enjoy some serenity for a calm mind.
- Avoid chores at home which involve:
-
- harsh or strong chemicals
- cleaning fans, ceilings, or windows
- washing dishes
- carrying heavy things
- mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming
- cleaning up after pets
- Stay away from certain foods, in particular:
- any raw or under-cooked meat (including pates, sausages, cold cuts, poultry, sashimi, sushi, fish, rare meat)
- raw eggs and their products, like hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, poached eggs
- big fish rich in mercury like shark, marlin, tuna, and mackerel.
- unclean fruits and veggies which haven’t been rinsed or have dirt on them.
Image from Shutterstock
“Ultimately, it is a woman’s choice”
Laura Schummers, the lead author of the study, said that their study highlighted “increased risks to both mother and infant” when mums became pregnant quickly after delivery, even for women over 35.
Schummers emphasized that these findings are crucial for older moms, as they “tend to more closely space their pregnancies and often do so intentionally”.
Mandy Forrester, of the Royal College of Midwives, commented that this key research supports previous findings on birth spacing. However, she still stresses out that:
“Ultimately, it will be a woman’s choice, whatever age they are, about how long they leave between their pregnancies. What is important is that they are aware of the evidence around birth spacing and that they make their choice armed with the right information.”
But of course, in order to make the greatest option for your health, it is recommended that you consult with your healthcare practitioner about your specific health conditions when you are ready to become pregnant again.
Source:
BBC, JAMA, Mayo Clinic, Wexner Medical Center
