Your body works constantly during pregnancy to support your developing baby. After the birth of your  baby, the  body must recover from the  pregnancy, labor and delivery. It takes time for your body to recover and replenish nutritional stores. That is why most doctors recommend waiting at least 2 years to get  pregnant again. Back to back pregnancy can have an impact on you and your baby’s health.
 

What is the ideal interval between pregnancies ?

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recommends that women under the age of 35 who have had a previous normal birth should have a pregnancy interval of greater than 2 years and less than 5 years.

For women 35 years and above who have had a previous normal birth, a pregnancy interval of 12 months is reasonable enough.

After a miscarriage a minimum of 6 months interval is recommended to get pregnant again.

Women with previous preeclampsia or preterm labor should wait at least 12 months between pregnancies.

What are the risks of back to back pregnancies ?

Back to back pregnancies  of less than 6 months carry the following risks.

• incomplete healing of cesarean section scar
• mother may not be able to replenish nutrients especially folic acid sufficiently to protect the developing baby
• premature rapture of membranes and early delivery due to the fact that the inflammation of the genital tract during the previous pregnancy has not completely resolved
• increased risk of congenital anomalies
• increased risk of autism
• high risk of cervical incompetence and miscarriage
• babies with low birth weight
• a trial of labor after cesarean delivery in women with short pregnancy intervals have a high risk of uterine rapture