Click below to view our brochure (PDF):

What is birth spacing?
Healthy birth spacing is waiting at least 18 months after giving birth before trying to get pregnant again.

Why wait at least 18 months?

  • Women who wait until their child is at least 18 months old before becoming pregnant the next time make a healthier choice for their baby.

Benefits for the new baby:

  • The baby has a better chance of being born on time and not too early.
  • The baby has a better chance to have a healthy weight and be strong at birth.
  • Babies who are born too early or underweight face a higher risk of disabilities.
  • Planning enough time between pregnancies allows the mother to breastfeed for a longer period of time.

Benefits for mother:

  • Mothers will have more time to regain health and energy.
  • Allows more time to recover physically, emotionally, and financially from pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Women with high blood pressure and/or diabetes are more likely to deliver a baby too soon if she becomes pregnant again in less than 18 months.
  • Women face a much higher risk of placental abruption and placenta previa when healthy birth spacing is not observed.

Benefits for father:

  • Fathers will have time to provide emotional, educational, and financial support to their children.
  • Allows the father to feel better about himself.

Highly effective birth spacing options:

  • Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) options are 99% effective and low maintenance.
    Examples: Implants | IUD