The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

continued:

Family planning: Get the facts about pregnancy spacing

Are there risks associated with spacing pregnancies too far apart?

Research suggests that long intervals between pregnancies also pose concerns for mothers and babies. A pregnancy five years or more after giving birth is associated with an increased risk of:

  • High blood pressure and excess protein in your urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy (preeclampsia)
  • Slow or difficult labor or delivery (dystocia)
  • Preterm birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Small size for gestational age

It's not clear why long pregnancy intervals are linked to health problems for mothers and babies. Some experts believe that pregnancy improves uterine capacity to promote fetal growth and support, but that over time these beneficial physiological changes disappear. It's also possible that maternal age or unmeasured factors, such as maternal illnesses, may play a role.

What's the best interval between pregnancies?

To reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and other health problems, limited research suggests waiting at least 18 to 24 months but no more than five years after a live birth before attempting your next pregnancy. However, further research is needed to determine whether the effects of birth spacing on maternal and fetal health differ between developed and developing nations.

Still, choosing when to have another baby is a personal decision. When planning your next pregnancy, you and your partner might consider various factors in addition to the health risks and benefits, including your health, age, fertility, relationship, how many children you have, how many children you hope to have, access to health care, child-rearing support, and social and economic circumstances.

Until you make a decision about when to have another child, be sure to use a reliable method of birth control — even if you're breast-feeding. Once you feel ready to get pregnant again, ask your health care provider for guidance.

What else do I need to know about pregnancy spacing?

There's no perfect time to have another baby. And, even with careful planning, you can't always control when conception happens. However, understanding the risks and benefits associated with timing your pregnancies too close together or too far apart can help you make an informed decision about when to grow your family.

Previous page
(2 of 2)
References
  1. Report of a WHO technical consultation on birth spacing. World Health Organization. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2007/WHO_RHR_07.1_eng.pdf. Accessed Jan. 20, 2011.
  2. Closely spaced pregnancies are associated with increased odds of autism in California sibling births. Pediatrics. 2011;127:246.
  3. Stubblefield PG. Interpregnancy interval and pregnancy outcome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
  4. Eijsden MV, et al. Association between short interpregnancy intervals and term birth weight: The role of folate depletion. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88:147.
  5. Grisaru-Granovsky S, et al. Effect of interpregnancy interval on adverse perinatal outcomes - A national study. Contraception. 2009;80:512.
  6. Sholapurkar SL. Is there an ideal interpregnancy interval after a live birth, miscarriage or other adverse pregnancy outcomes? Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2010;30:107.
  7. HTSP 101: Everything you want to know about healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/pmnch/topics/maternal/htsp101.pdf. Accessed Sept. 3, 2010.
  8. Conde-Agudelo A, et al. Birth spacing and risk of adverse perinatal outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;295:1809.
  9. King JC. The risk of maternal nutritional depletion and poor outcomes increases in early or closely spaced pregnancies. The Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133:1732S.
  10. Healthy people 2020 summary of objectives. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/pdfs/FamilyPlanning.pdf. Accessed April 1, 2011.
  11. Preconception care questions and answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/preconception/QandA.htm. Accessed April 1, 2011.
  12. Kottke M. Nondaily contraceptive options: User benefits, potential for high continuation and counseling issues. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. 2008;63:661.
  13. Recovering from birth. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-beyond/recovering-from-birth.cfm. Accessed April 1, 2011.
  14. Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 4, 2011.
  15. Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2010;282.
  16. Bujold E, et al. Risk of uterine rupture associated with an interdelivery between 18 and 24 months. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010;115:1003.
  17. Getahun D, et al. Previous cesarean delivery and risks of placenta previa and placental abruption. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2006;107:771.
  18. Conde-Agudelo A, et al. Effects of birth spacing on maternal health: A systematic review. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2007;196:297.
  19. Zhu BP, et al. Labor dystocia and its association with interpregnancy interval. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2006;195:121.
MY01691 May 27, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger