Key Takeaways

Researchers are challenging widely accepted recommendations that advise mothers to wait at least two years after giving birth to become pregnant again. While these recommendations are designed to reduce the risk of complications like preterm birth and small birth weight, a new study finds that this wait time may not be necessary for all.

Researchers analyzed data from 5.5 million births to 3.8 million women in high-income countries including Australia, Finland, Norway, and the U.S. They found that the risk for negative birth outcomes was no different, whether the women waited six months to become pregnant again, or 18 to 24 months.

However, siblings that were spaced out more than 60 months, or five years, were at an increased risk of negative birth outcomes.The July study was published in the journalPLOS One.

“Current recommendations of waiting at least 24 months to conceive after a previous pregnancy, may be unnecessarily long in high-income countries,” the researchers concluded.

Women’s health expertJennifer Wider, MD,tells Verywell that the results of the latest research are surprising.

“There has been much research that underscores the need for a ‘wait time’ between pregnancies," she says. “I think what this study highlights is that it’s not a one size fits all equation.”

How This Fits in With Current Recommendations

“That time frame gives women a chance to recover from the changes pregnancy and birth caused,” she explains. “This time helps women return to pre-birth weight, nurse the infant, and return their blood count and likely other nutrient levels to baseline.”

“Many women will wait, not just for health risks, but to heal properly and be able to manage the care of their infant,” Wider says.

Still, Lew says, “not every patient has two years to space their family. Some older women may need to space their family closer if they want to have their children before they experience a loss of their fertility.”

Ultimately, Wider says, it’s important for mothers who are interested in conceiving again quickly to talk to their doctors. “There’s not a one-size-fits-all recommendation,” she says. “If a woman has excellent prenatal and natal care, her options may be broader.”

What This Means For You

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tessema GA, Marinovich ML, Håberg SE, et al. Interpregnancy Intervals and Adverse Birth Outcomes in High-Income Countries: An International Cohort Study.PLOS ONE. July 19, 2021. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0255000.United States Agency International Development.HTSP 101.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Interpregnancy Care.January 2019.Schummers L, Hutcheon J, Hernandez-Diaz S et al.Association of Short Interpregnancy Interval With Pregnancy Outcomes According to Maternal Age.JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(12):1661. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4696

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tessema GA, Marinovich ML, Håberg SE, et al. Interpregnancy Intervals and Adverse Birth Outcomes in High-Income Countries: An International Cohort Study.PLOS ONE. July 19, 2021. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0255000.United States Agency International Development.HTSP 101.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Interpregnancy Care.January 2019.Schummers L, Hutcheon J, Hernandez-Diaz S et al.Association of Short Interpregnancy Interval With Pregnancy Outcomes According to Maternal Age.JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(12):1661. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4696

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Tessema GA, Marinovich ML, Håberg SE, et al. Interpregnancy Intervals and Adverse Birth Outcomes in High-Income Countries: An International Cohort Study.PLOS ONE. July 19, 2021. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0255000.United States Agency International Development.HTSP 101.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Interpregnancy Care.January 2019.Schummers L, Hutcheon J, Hernandez-Diaz S et al.Association of Short Interpregnancy Interval With Pregnancy Outcomes According to Maternal Age.JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(12):1661. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4696

Tessema GA, Marinovich ML, Håberg SE, et al. Interpregnancy Intervals and Adverse Birth Outcomes in High-Income Countries: An International Cohort Study.PLOS ONE. July 19, 2021. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0255000.

United States Agency International Development.HTSP 101.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Interpregnancy Care.January 2019.

Schummers L, Hutcheon J, Hernandez-Diaz S et al.Association of Short Interpregnancy Interval With Pregnancy Outcomes According to Maternal Age.JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(12):1661. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4696

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