Glossary

Term · Postpartum: Your Body

interpregnancy interval

Also: birth spacing, spacing between pregnancies

The time from one birth to the next conception. Short gaps are linked to higher risks in some studies, including uterine rupture after a cesarean.

In plain words

Interpregnancy interval is the time between one birth and the next conception. Short gaps are linked to some risks, including preterm birth. After a , a short gap is linked to a higher chance of uterine rupture in a later labor. Very long gaps have their own links to outcomes. The World Health Organization has recommended at least 24 months, as a general guide, between a live birth and the next pregnancy. Choosing when to have the next baby is a personal decision that depends on health, finances, and family. Timing is also part of contraception counseling after birth. If you have questions about timing after a cesarean, ask your provider how your scar and your health factor in.

The deeper version

Interpregnancy interval is measured from the last birth or pregnancy outcome to the next conception or the estimated start of the next pregnancy. Short intervals are associated with preterm birth, low birthweight, and maternal anemia in observational work. For women with a prior cesarean, Bujold and colleagues (2002) reported that uterine rupture risk more than doubled with intervals under 24 months, though that estimate rests on a limited number of cases. The WHO technical consultation on birth spacing (2005) recommended at least 24 months between a live birth and the next pregnancy. Causality is hard to establish, because short intervals cluster with socioeconomic and reproductive factors. Controversy persists over the optimal minimum interval, especially after cesarean.

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Sources

  • World Health Organization — Report of a WHO Technical Consultation on Birth Spacing, 2005
  • Bujold E et al. — Interdelivery interval and uterine rupture after cesarean delivery. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2002

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