Obstetrician/
Gynaecologist, Dr. Mary Ogidan, says one of the reasons mothers are advised to wait one year before conceiving again is because they may be anaemic as a result of the iron transferred to the baby and placenta during pregnancy, as well as the blood loss that usually attends childbirth.
Women who deliver via Caesarian Section even have more reasons to delay the next pregnancy, Ogidan says. “Women who deliver via a C-Section lose twice as much blood — about two pints on average — as women who deliver vaginally. They must save themselves from possible complications that may result when pregnancies are too close,” she warns.
Such complications include ruptured uterus or a premature or low-birth weight baby, experts say.
When confronted with the fact that many women start raising family late and they may not have the luxury of time, the gynaecologist says for women in their 30s who may be engaged in the race against time, they may start trying to conceive nine months after the first baby, even if they had a C-Section. She says such women must take good care of their health by eating balanced diet and doing everything to stay in top shape, health-wise.
She notes, “It’s not uncommon for women over 35 to have trouble getting pregnant with the second baby, and the risk of having difficulty conceiving increases with age. The best time to get pregnant, however, differs from woman to woman; so, talk to your doctor about your specific circumstances.”