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Ask An Expert
Risk of Pre-term Labor
Q: My husband and I want to have another baby. Our son is 2 and our daughter 8 months. My son's pregnancy went fine, no problems, but with my daughter I went into preterm labor at 31 weeks, but didn't deliver until 38. I read somewhere that your body needs at least a year to recover from one pregnancy until the next. We want to get pregnant in a couple of months when our daughter will be 10 months old. Can you tell me if this will increase my risk of going into preterm labor again? What are the chances of preterm labor in another pregnancy if you have already had it once? Wendy
A: Your chances of preterm labor won't increase because of how you've spaced your babies, but because you've had preterm labor already. The fact that you got to 38 weeks means that you can expect a similar result, although this cannot be guaranteed. You take a chance, but it's pretty good odds in your favor. Most cases of preterm labor are for unknown reasons, but if there was a specific identified reason that was unique to your last pregnancy, then you may have no increased risk. If it was for unknown reasons, then the increased risk status applies.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo is a board certified obstetrician-gynecologist who has been in private practice since 1981 and has served as Chief of the Medical Staff at Lakeview Regional Medical Center in greater New Orleans. Dr. DiLeo's new book The Anxious Parents' Guide to Pregnancy is now available.
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