Can You Get Pregnant After Giving Birth?

Can you get pregnant after giving birth? The question, in general terms, can be easily answered: Yes. Any healthy woman can become pregnant, even within the first month after giving birth, if she doesn't use a birth-control method. However, it is important to note that certain conditions must exist for a pregnancy to occur.

The Facts

For a woman to become pregnant, an egg has to be available for sperm to fertilize. Therefore, ovulation has to occur again after the end of a pregnancy. Most women resume their normal menstrual cycle four to six weeks after childbirth. During this time, a healthy woman will ovulate and the chance of conception is possible if no contraception method is used.

Time Frame

A woman will ovulate at a particular time each month, and four hormones determine when it will happen: progesterone, estrogen, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Stress, illness and medications may affect exactly when the egg will be released. Using the rhythm method of determining ovulation dates can result in unwanted pregnancies.

Prevention/Solution

If a woman wants to be sure she doesn't conceive after giving birth, she must use some form of birth control. If a woman is breastfeeding and doesn't want to use pills or shots, having her partner wear a condom is one option that can be used in an effort to prevent pregnancy. Women who are not breastfeeding can use any of the available birth-control methods after discussing the issue with a doctor.

Myths

There are many myths about how a woman can or cannot become pregnant. One such myth is that a woman cannot become pregnant if she is breastfeeding. On the contrary, becoming pregnant is possible if you are breastfeeding. While the risk is small, pregnancy can occur if you do not use a contraception method.

Another myth is that a woman will not become pregnant if she has sex after giving birth but before her first menstrual period following the birth. Some women release an egg prior to their first menstrual cycle after a pregnancy, and the egg can be fertilized if sperm is present.

Considerations

According to Demographic and Health Surveys, spacing children three to five years apart is healthier for the mother and the child. The mothers are more likely to avoid anemia and third-trimester bleeding and, most importantly, survive childbirth. The children, especially in third-world countries, are more likely to survive to age five.

Warning

Pregnancies that occur within three months of giving birth are considered high risk because the mother's body hasn't had time to recover from the previous pregnancy. Therefore, it is important for the mother to use a method of birth control for the first few months following the birth of a child.

References

• Demographic and Health Surveys
• Birth Control Myths
• "What to Expect When You're Expecting"; Arlene Eisenberg; 1996