Planning for future pregnancies is just as important as planning for your first pregnancy. Healthy Start follows guidelines presented by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the March of Dimes that suggest waiting at least 18 months between giving birth and getting pregnant again.
According to the March of Dimes, “pregnancies that start less than 18 months after birth are associated with delayed prenatal care and adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, neonatal morbidity, and low birthweight. Further, these poor birth outcomes are often associated with ongoing health problems such as developmental delay, asthma, and vision and hearing loss.”
Healthy Start’s primary goal is to ensure women have healthy, full term pregnancies. We do this by encouraging good preconception health (before pregnancy) and implementing a reproductive life plan. This is where you and your partner discuss and plan for pregnancies to ensure a healthy mom and baby.
For more information on birth spacing, visit http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/how-long-should-you-wait-before-getting-pregnant-again.aspx