Why Short Birth Spacing Can Cause Problems

Why can short birth spacing cause problems? Part of the reason has to do with nutrition.

• It is important that every pregnant woman eats a healthy diet so that she and her baby get the nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals) they need. This helps the mom to stay healthy and the baby to grow and develop normally.
• Nutrition is also very important before and after pregnancy.
  • The body will naturally store some nutrients and these stored nutrients get used up during pregnancy in order to meet the needs of the mom and baby. These stores need to be replaced after the baby is born.
  • It takes time to replace these nutrient stores, and that is why it is important to allow enough time between pregnancies.
  • If there isn't adequate space between pregnancies the mom and baby will be at risk for poor nutrition, which could lead to some of the problems mentioned earlier (low birth weight babies, or small for gestational age).
  
  
• One vitamin in particular that is important for good health is folic acid.
  • Women need folic acid throughout life, especially before and during pregnancy. This can help prevent some birth defects.
  
  
• It is important for women to take prenatal vitamins and eat healthy foods so that both Mom and Baby can get what they need for good growth and development.
• More information about healthy eating during pregnancy
• More information about foods to avoid during pregnancy