The process of pregnancy can be exhausting — you carry a baby for up to ten months, go through labour and adjust to life with a newborn. But that doesn't mean parents don't want to do it all over again. The question is, how long should someone wait before having another child?
On Tuesday, US Weekly reported that Jessica Simpson is pregnant for the second time, according to AOL Music.
After giving birth to her first child Maxwell Drew Johnson seven months ago, is Simpson's possible second pregnancy happening too soon?
"If you were to frame it in absolute terms, is she putting her life at risk? No. Are there significant complications that must be avoided at all costs? No," says Dr. Heather Shapiro, associate professor at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Toronto and member of the Mount Sinai Hospital Fertility Centre.
Shapiro adds that there are three things individuals should consider before having another child: How far a woman has come in terms of her body's healing process, her fertility chances, and whether the family is ready for another baby and its impact on the other child or children. She adds that in the latter case, a pediatrician may be the most suitable person from whom to seek advice.
The only other exception for waiting longer would be the effects of a C-section, Shapiro says, noting there may be a risk of complication, but that these findings are not always concrete.
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggested that women should wait 12 months after giving birth to have another baby, according to PregnancyandBaby.com.
The study found that periods of less than six months from delivery to the conception of another baby increased the risk of premature babies (less than 35 weeks) by 41 per cent. It also noted that intervals between six months to a year still showed an increased risk of a pre-term baby, while once it got to 12 to 18 months, the possibility virtually disappeared.
According to the The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, there are no specific guidelines or policy statements put in place to determine how long a person should wait before having another child. Each case should be based on the individual and women who've had past medical concerns during pregnancies should speak to a professional if they have more questions, the organization told Huffington Post Canada.
What do you think? How long should an individual wait before having another child? Let us know in the comments below:
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