Illustration of a mother sat on the floor, holding a toddler who is playing with colorful rings

How soon can you get pregnant after giving birth?

Written by

Lucy Abrams-Husso

Lucy Abrams-Husso is an artist and academic who has been working as a researcher for nearly 10 years. Her own experience starting a family motivated her to want to work towards providing others with easy-to-understand, factual, and empathetic resources on topics in women's health, particularly fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. Lucy recently completed her doctorate degree at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and is based in Helsinki, Finland.

Fact checked by

Dr. Danielle Perro

Prior to joining Natural Cycles as Medical Affairs Manager, Dr Danielle Perro was a women's health researcher and science communicator with over six years experience in the field. She earned a PhD from Oxford University, specializing in endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, and pain in women. At Natural Cycles, she supports the science team and world-leading experts in the reproductive health space to conduct and deliver high-impact research that advances the field of women's health.

, Medical Affairs Manager

Follows NC° Editorial Policy

At Natural Cycles, our mission is to empower you with the knowledge you need to take charge of your health. At Cycle Matters, we create fact-checked, expert-written content that tackles these topics in a compassionate and accessible way. Read more...

Last updated:

Jan 13, 2026

6 min read

Key takeaways:

Waiting at least 18 months after giving birth to get pregnant is the most common advice, but individual factors might encourage you to try and conceive sooner
Childbirth and the beginning of parenthood can temporarily change sex and intimacy between you and your partner
Consider some form of contraception as soon as you begin having sex again after giving birth, since it is possible to become pregnant again within weeks

Are you thinking about having another child, but not sure if it’s the right time? In this article, we will dive into pregnancy spacing, which is the amount of time that elapses between pregnancies. Pregnancy spacing is important because too little or too much time between pregnancies can affect your health and the health of your family.

Having sex after giving birth

Childbirth and the beginning of parenthood are major physical and emotional events that can influence sexuality and intimacy in the weeks and months afterwards. You can technically have sex when you feel ready to do so. However, doctors commonly recommend waiting at least 6 weeks after delivery to have sex, or at least until any injuries or incisions have healed [1].

It is possible to experience sex differently after giving birth, even after physically healing. Vaginal dryness is common, particularly if you are breastfeeding due to lowered levels of estrogen [1]. It’s important to communicate with your partner about what feels comfortable and pleasurable, keeping in mind that it might take weeks or months before you feel like your desire for sex or ability to become aroused returns.

Fertility after childbirth

Ovulation can occur around four to six weeks after giving birth for those who are not breastfeeding, but can happen even sooner for some women. Hormones released during breastfeeding can delay the return of ovulation for as long as 6 months. This is known as lactational amenorrhea or LAM. LAM can be used as birth control, but only when you are exclusively breastfeeding and when feedings are less than 4 hours apart during the day and 6 hours apart at night [2].

As ovulation occurs before menstruation, you will likely be unaware of when your body starts ovulating again. For that reason, if you are at risk of becoming pregnant, it’s recommended to use contraception as soon as you start having sex again and continue using it until you are trying to conceive [1].

Are there risks involved in having pregnancies close together?

It is commonly recommended to wait at least 18-24 months between pregnancies to reduce health risks for the mother and child. These include premature birth, low birth weight, and increased risk of pregnancy loss [3]. The long-held reasoning is that the body needs time to heal and regain strength after giving birth. Waiting to get pregnant again also gives you and your partner more time to adjust to life as parents. There are studies that have shown that the entire family unit requires time after the birth of a child in order to adjust to new family and relationship dynamics [4].

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly advises against getting pregnant again within 6 months of giving birth because there is the highest risk of complications [5]. If you become pregnant soon after giving birth, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to provide more information on next steps and can offer guidance specific to your situation.

Are there risks involved in waiting longer between pregnancies?

At the same time, there are individual factors like maternal age, medical history, and pre-existing conditions that should be factored in when considering how long to wait. If you are older than 35 or you had difficulty getting pregnant previously, it might be better to start trying sooner than 18 months after giving birth [5]. It’s important to talk to your ob-gyn or midwife about the risks and benefits for you because family planning is personal, not one-size-fits-all.

There is also a body of research that has found that waiting more than 5 years between pregnancies has been linked to some of the same pregnancy complications, like preterm birth and low birth rate. The underlying hypothesis is that a first pregnancy prepares the body for subsequent pregnancies, but that this conditioning fades over time. [5]

How long should you wait between pregnancies?

It is ultimately up to you and your partner to decide when to try to get pregnant again. It depends on the physical, mental, and emotional health of you, and your family. At an absolute minimum, experts advise waiting at least six months, with 18 months considered ideal [5].

It’s important to prioritize your mental as well as physical health before becoming pregnant and while trying to conceive. If you experienced high blood pressure or gestational diabetes during your first pregnancy, it’s particularly important to monitor these conditions postpartum, as they can persist postpartum and affect subsequent pregnancies. Other chronic conditions like thyroid disorder, substance use disorder, or mental health disorders require proper treatment before trying to conceive [5].

Consider your birth control options before you become sexually active again. It’s possible to become pregnant just weeks after giving birth, when you might not be ready physically, mentally, or emotionally to have another baby. Your healthcare provider will likely discuss options for contraception during your postpartum care. Some methods of birth control can be started right away after giving birth, while others can require waiting a few weeks [2].

How does your first pregnancy affect subsequent pregnancies?

While each pregnancy is different, medical conditions or complications that were experienced in a first pregnancy can return in subsequent pregnancies. Here are a few of the most common:

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG): which is the scientific name for severe nausea or vomiting experienced during pregnancy, has had a reported recurrence rate of up to around 80% [6].

Gestational diabetes: this is a form of diabetes that arises during pregnancy, it has a recurrence rate of around 50% [7]

Preeclampsia is a type of high blood pressure that develops most commonly during the second half of pregnancy and requires extra monitoring for the health of mother and baby. Preeclampsia has an estimated recurrence rate of between 15-47%, depending on when during the earlier pregnancy you developed preeclampsia and your body mass index in subsequent pregnancies [8]
Spontaneous preterm birth: this is when labor comes on early (including having your’ water break preterm) unrelated to other pregnancy conditions, has a recurrence rate of between 14-15% [9]

Plan pregnancy with Natural Cycles

Whether you are trying or waiting to conceive, Natural Cycles can help. Natural Cycles is the first FDA-cleared birth control app, using the science of body temperature to find your fertile days. Peer-reviewed research has shown that Natural Cycles identifies the fertile window in your cycle more accurately than calendar based methods [11], and when the time is right, can help you get pregnant faster. Take the guesswork out of ovulation tracking with Natural Cycles.

Moldenhauer JS. Overview of postpartum care [Internet]. MSD Manual Consumer Version. 2025 [Cited 2026 Jan 8]. Available from: https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/women-s-health-issues/postpartum-care/overview-of-postpartum-care
Postpartum birth control [Internet]. ACOG. [Cited 2026 Jan 8]. Available from: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/postpartum-birth-control
Smith GC, Pell JP, Dobbie R. Interpregnancy interval and risk of preterm birth and neonatal death: retrospective cohort study. BMJ. 2003 Aug 9;327(7410):313. doi: 10.1136/bmj.327.7410.313. Erratum in: BMJ. 2003 Oct 11;327(7419):851. PMID: 12907483; PMCID: PMC169644.
Berg V, Miettinen A, Jokela M, et al. Shorter birth intervals between siblings are associated with increased risk of parental divorce. PLoS One. 2020;15(1):e0228237–e0228237. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228237
Planning your next pregnancy? Here’s how long to wait [Internet]. ACOG. [Cited 2026 Jan 8]. Available from: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/the-latest/planning-your-next-pregnancy-heres-how-long-to-wait
Fejzo MS, Macgibbon KW, Romero R, Goodwin TM, Mullin PM. Recurrence risk of hyperemesis gravidarum. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2011 Mar-Apr;56(2):132-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-2011.2010.00019.x. Epub 2011 Mar 1. PMID: 21429077; PMCID: PMC3077880.
Egan AM, Enninga EAL, Alrahmani L, Weaver AL, Sarras MP, Ruano R. Recurrent Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Narrative Review and Single-Center Experience. J Clin Med. 2021 Feb 3;10(4):569. doi: 10.3390/jcm10040569. PMID: 33546259; PMCID: PMC7913262.
Mostello D, Kallogjeri D, Tungsiripat R, Leet T. Recurrence of preeclampsia: effects of gestational age at delivery of the first pregnancy, body mass index, paternity, and interval between births. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Jul;199(1):55.e1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2007.11.058. Epub 2008 Feb 15. PMID: 18280450.
Mazaki-Tovi S, Romero R, Kusanovic JP, Erez O, Pineles BL, Gotsch F, Mittal P, Than NG, Espinoza J, Hassan SS. Recurrent preterm birth. Semin Perinatol. 2007 Jun;31(3):142-58. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2007.04.001. PMID: 17531896; PMCID: PMC3500643.
Natural family planning [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2025 [Cited 2026 Jan 13]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/natural-family-planning/
Kleinschmidt, T. K., Bull, J. R., Lavorini, V., Rowland, S. P., Pearson, J. T., Scherwitzl, E. B., Scherwitzl, R., & Danielsson, K. G. (2019). Advantages of determining the fertile window with the individualised Natural Cycles algorithm over calendar-based methods. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 24(6), 457–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/13625187.2019.1682544

Did you enjoy reading this article?

Frequently asked questions

Conceiving too soon after giving birth can put a lot of stress on your body before it has had time to recover from your first birth. This can increase the risk of pregnancy complications that can affect you and the baby. Where possible, it’s best to wait at least 18 months before trying for another baby.

Your fertile window can vary in the postpartum period. It depends on how your body recovers (i.e., when your hormone levels return to their pre-pregnancy levels) as well other factors, like whether or not you are breastfeeding. Monitoring your ovulation using Natural Cycles, ovulation tests, and examining your cervical mucus can help you detect when you are ovulating.

The best way to avoid getting pregnant too soon after giving birth is by using contraception. There are many different options available that are considered safe postpartum and when breastfeeding, and so it’s best to speak with your healthcare professional to find an option that’s best for you.

There is no “best” time to leave between pregnancies. Family planning is incredibly personal. In addition to health, balancing family, work, and relationships can all affect when you decide to get pregnant again. Medically speaking, doctors suggest that waiting at least 18 months between pregnancies gives your body a good amount of time to recover from the previous pregnancy and birth and begin priming itself for your next pregnancy [5].

Breastfeeding can be used as birth control, called lactation amenorrhea (LAM) [10]. LAM relies on the way your body naturally prevents ovulation when you are breastfeeding. However, it relies on frequent and exclusive breastfeeding, with feedings not longer than 4 hours apart during the day and 6 hours at night [2]. When considering this or any other method of birth control postpartum, we recommend speaking with your healthcare provider about the best option for you.