The Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, is pregnant again — just 13 months after giving birth to her first child — prompting some health experts to ask if such a short time between pregnancies is risky?
Middleton gave birth to her first child, George, on July 22, 2013, and her husband, Prince William, announced last week that the couple is expecting their second child.
The March of Dimes, an organization that aims to prevent premature birth, recommends women wait 18 months between giving birth and becoming pregnant again, to give the women's body time to recover, the
Live Science Website reports.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding can diminish the body's supply of iron and folate, nutrients important for the mother and baby, the Mayo Clinic says.
Becoming pregnant before these stores are replaced could affect the mother's or the baby's health, Mayo says. Doctors generally advise women to wait 18 months between giving birth and becoming pregnant again, to give the uterus time to recover, and to give couples time to incorporate the new addition into the family, said Jill Maura Rabin, M.D., co-chief, Division of Ambulatory Care, Women's Health Programs at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, New York.
“It's probably better to wait 18 months,” Dr. Rabin said.
But if a women is in very good health, takes prenatal vitamins and has access to good prenatal care, as Middleton does, then a 13-month spacing “shouldn't really be an issue,” she added. “She should do fine.”