Q&A: How long do I have to wait to get pregnant after a C-section?

Complications rates are higher when a second pregnancy is conceived soon after delivery. The shorter the interval, the higher the risk. For example, an interval of nine months increased the risk of preterm birth 17-fold. An interval of six months increased the risk 23-fold. The optimal time to conceive is between 18 months and five years post delivery.

Studies have also found that in women who had a Cesarean section and the interval from delivery to conception is less than six months: there was a 3-fold increase in the risk for uterine rupture, a 3-fold increase in risk for a blood transfusion, a 2-fold risk in other complications (bladder, bowel injury, artery laceration).

There are widely varying estimates of the chance of recurrence of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). In an Australian study, women with PIH in their first pregnancy experienced it 50 percent of the time in their second pregnancy. This is about five times higher than would be expected in the general population.