What's the best interval between pregnancies?

To reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and other health problems, limited research suggests waiting at least 18 to 24 months but less than five years after a live birth before attempting your next pregnancy. However, further research is needed to determine whether the effects of birth spacing on maternal and fetal health differ between developed and developing nations.



How does pregnancy spacing affect children?

Every child — and family — is unique. However, research suggests that closely spaced pregnancies can affect children. For example, children who are less than two years apart might experience more conflict than do children who have greater age differences. Spacing siblings more than two years apart also might mean better reading and math scores for the older children. This could be a result of parents spending more time with the older children before having a new baby.

What else do I need to know about pregnancy spacing?


April 15, 2014 See more In-depth