Having children is a thing of joy for
most families, such that those who are not able to achieve pregnancy
immediately after marriage consider it a cause to worry about.
However, while some people do everything
to achieve conception, others are able to get pregnant anytime they
desire. Some drive this luck too far, though, by giving birth annually.
The question is, how soon should you return to the labour room after the birth of a child?
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.
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.”
Asked when a woman should commence
contraceptive use after delivery, experts have this to say, “Women who
have just given birth should wait three weeks before using birth control
that contains both oestrogen and progestin, such as the pill, the
patch, and vaginal ring. Using these methods in the early weeks after
giving birth increases the risk of dangerous blood clots.”
Ogidan says those who delivered via a
C-Section or those at risk of blood clots should wait for six weeks
after delivery before using any birth control with both oestrogen and
progestin.
Does birth control have any advantage?
Researchers at Guttmacher Institute, a family planning organisation that
advances reproductive health globally, say spacing children has
positive impacts on women’s education and participation in the
workforce, as well as on subsequent outcomes related to income, family
stability, mental health and happiness, and the well-being of their
children.
Beyond this, experts say family planning helps you in getting rid of monthly pains associated with your period. The journal, Human Reproduction,
notes that cramps are caused by prostaglandins, a chemical that
triggers muscle contractions. “When you get your period, your body
speeds up prostaglandin production to help shed the uterine lining.
Going on oral contraceptives reduces the amount of prostaglandins your
body pumps out, so you experience less discomfort,” the researchers say.
Ogidan notes that using combination
contraception lowers a woman’s levels of testosterone, which all women
make in small amounts. She says this improves the texture of the skin,
making it smooth, instead of breaking out in acne or growing excess body
hair.
Scientists also say using hormonal birth
control makes monthly periods shorter and lighter, so you lose less
blood, reducing the risk of anaemia, and leaving you strong, physically.
Ogidan also says women who use birth
control pills have reduced cases of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease — a
serious infection of the upper reproductive tract which, if left
untreated, can compromise a woman’s fertility.
Experts say the progestin in hormonal
birth control makes cervical mucus thicker, while research suggests that
this forms a roadblock that makes it harder for PID-causing microbes
such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea to penetrate the user’s cervix.
In all, experts warn that
you should consult your physician before embarking on using birth
control pills, as some of them could be dangerous to health.
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