{"id":27,"date":"2021-03-30T09:38:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T13:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/27\/recent-pregnancy\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T15:19:07","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:19:07","slug":"recent-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/27\/recent-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know about birth spacing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Content created withThe National Birth Equity Collaborative<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

When and how to add another member to your family is one of the most personal decisions you can make, but there are a few general medical guidelines that can be helpful to keep in mind when  you\u2019re deciding. Most notably, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends<\/a> waiting at least 6 months after giving birth before becoming pregnant again.  For the best outcomes for parent and baby, ACOG recommends waiting 18 months or longer between pregnancies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can birth spacing impact health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A pregnancy that begins too soon after the previous one faces higher risk of preterm delivery. Preterm birth, or having a baby before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, carries its own set of risks for babies, including problems with breathing and lungs, infections, feeding problems, and other complications. Pregnancy and delivery of a baby shortly after another pregnancy also carries the potential for health risks for the birthing parent. Pregnancies spaced less than 18 months apart can put you at a higher risk to a number of health complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pregnancies spaced less than 18 months apart are linked to a number of health complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potential health complications include<\/h3>\n\n\n\n