A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology says women should be encouraged to wait 12 months after giving birth before conceiving another baby. The researchers argue that intervals of less than six months from delivery to conception of the next baby increase the risk of preterm birth (less than 35 weeks) by 41 per cent.
They say further that intervals of six to 12 months increase preterm birth risk by 14 per cent; while intervals of 12 to 18 months carry no significant increased risk of preterm birth.
Physicians say while there are no specific guidelines stipulating when a woman should conceive after the last delivery, they warn that pregnancy puts so much strain on the woman’s body because of the need to support the baby in the womb and after delivery.