The time interval between two pregnancies in women that is either too short or too long can negatively impact the health of newborns.
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| The ideal interval of 2 to 5 years between children is safe and optimal (Photo: TTO) |
Researchers from Columbia analyzed the records of pregnant women worldwide from 1966 to 2006. They found that women who became pregnant with their second child less than 18 months after giving birth to their first child, as well as those who spaced their second child more than 59 months after the first, faced similar risks regarding their offspring.
Women who became pregnant with their second child within 18 months of giving birth were at risk of preterm birth (40%), low birth weight (61%), and reduced fertility at a young age (26%).
Children born to mothers who became pregnant for the second time 59 months after the first had a 20% risk of preterm birth and a 43% risk of being underweight.
Dr. Augustin C. Agudelo, the head of the research team, explained, “The reason that a short pregnancy interval poses these risks is that the mother’s body has not fully recovered after childbirth and breastfeeding within 18 months.”
Conversely, an interval that is too long—over 59 months—reduces the mother’s ability to respond to the demands of pregnancy. This is similarly observed in women who are pregnant with their first child.
According to him, an interval of 2 to 5 years between having the second child is the safest and most ideal for both the mother’s health and the newborn.
KHANG LINH
