How long should you wait before getting pregnant again?

How long should you wait before getting pregnant again?

For most people, it’s best to wait at least 18 months between giving birth and getting pregnant again. This much time gives your body time to fully recover from your last pregnancy before it’s ready for your next pregnancy.

The time between pregnancies is called birth spacing, pregnancy spacing or interpregnancy interval (also called IPI). Waiting before getting pregnant again can support your health and your baby’s health.

Why is it important to wait 18 months before getting pregnant again?

Getting pregnant again before waiting 18 months can increase the risk for health problems for your baby, including:

• Preterm birth. This means your baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, which is too soon. The shorter the time between pregnancies, the higher your risk for preterm birth.
• Low birthweight. This is when your baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. 
• Being small for gestational age (also called SGA). This means your baby is smaller than expected based on the number of weeks you’ve been pregnant.  

Babies born with these health conditions are at higher risk for longer hospital stays or long-term health problems.

What can you do to help you get the right amount of time between pregnancies?

Here’s what you can do:

• Wait at least 18 months after having a baby before getting pregnant again. 
• Use effective birth control (also called contraception or family planning) until you’re ready to get pregnant again. Options include intrauterine devices (also called IUDs), implants, birth control pills, birth control injections, and condoms. It's important to talk to your provider to see which birth control method is right for you.
• If you’re pregnant, talk to your provider about long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). These include IUD’s and implants, which can prevent pregnancy for several years. You don’t have to remember to take them every day, you can get pregnant soon after having them removed, and you can get them placed shortly after giving birth. Talk to your provider to see if a LARC is right for you. 
• If you’re older than 35 or have had a miscarriage or stillbirth, talk to your provider about how long to wait between pregnancies.

How does getting pregnant again too soon increase your chances for preterm birth?

Experts don’t know for sure why getting pregnant again too soon increases your chances of preterm birth and other health problems for your baby. It may be because your body needs time to:

• Build up its supply of nutrients, like folic acid. Nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, help your body stay strong and healthy. If your body doesn’t have enough nutrients and you get pregnant again too soon, it may cause health problems for you or your baby. 
• Heal from infection and inflammation. Infection during pregnancy can lead to inflammation (redness and swelling) in parts of your body, like the uterus (womb). Inflammation may play a role in preterm premature rupture of membranes (also called PPROM). PPROM is when the sac (bag of waters) around the baby breaks before 37 weeks pregnancy, causing labor to start. PPROM can cause preterm birth.
• Reset the microbiome of the vagina (birth canal). The microbiome is a group of microorganisms. Microorganisms (like bacteria) are living things that are so small you need a microscope to see them. Some experts think the microbiome in a woman’s vagina (called the vaginal microbiome) may play a role in preterm birth. It may take time—even a year—for the vaginal microbiome to go back to how it was before pregnancy. So getting pregnant again too soon may cause problems in your next pregnancy, like preterm birth. 

More information

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Show Your Love Preconception Health

Download our health action sheet on birth spacing.

Last reviewed: February 2025