Various reputable sources of medical information, such as WebMd, state that the prior births do not “reset” a woman's fertility,asserting that the notion is a myth.
A woman's fertility declines with age, sometimes it can be harder to get pregnant with a second child than it was with the first. When a woman has trouble getting pregnant on her own after a previously successful natural conception and birth, fertility doctors refer to this as secondary infertility.
Here's why: You're fertile around the time you ovulate, and you ovulate about 14 days before you get your period. Breastfeeding can temporarily stop your body from ovulating for a few months postpartum (more on that later), but if you aren't breastfeeding, you can ovulate within just a few weeks after giving birth.
Secondary infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or carry a baby to term after previously giving birth. And it affects millions of parents, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Even though you already have a child, secondary infertility can still be painful.
Increased age, complications from a prior pregnancy or surgery, increased weight, medications, sexually transmitted infections, impaired sperm production, alcohol abuse, and smoking are all examples of secondary infertility.
The highest pregnancy rates occur in couples who have sex every day or every other day. Have sex near the time of ovulation. If having sex every day isn't possible — or enjoyable — have sex every 2 to 3 days a week starting soon after the end of your period.
What's the best interval between pregnancies? To reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and other health problems, research suggests waiting 18 to 24 months but less than five years after a live birth before attempting your next pregnancy.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises waiting for at least six months or more but cautions against the risks of pregnancy before 18 months after your baby is born.”
However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
If your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and your period arrives like clockwork, it's likely that you'll ovulate on day 14. That's halfway through your cycle. Your fertile window begins on day 10. You're more likely to get pregnant if you have sex at least every other day between days 10 and 14 of a 28-day cycle.
Based on the study findings, they suggest the optimal time between giving birth and getting pregnant again is 18 months, with a range of 12 to 24 months.
Medium gap (two to four years)
With this gap, you'll have the lowest risk of having preterm birth and a low birth weight baby (Zhu, 2005).
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline becomes more rapid once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely for most women.
Infertility is commonly caused by problems with ovulation (the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries). Some problems stop an egg being released at all, while others prevent an egg being released during some cycles but not others. Ovulation problems can be a result of: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
You might not be ovulating. Your male partner may be experiencing infertility. You may be experiencing age-related infertility. You may have blocked fallopian tubes.
Most couples are able to get pregnant within six months to a year. If you're unable to conceive after a full year of trying, it's a good idea to consult a fertility specialist. Sometimes there's an obvious cause of infertility, like a physical problem with the ovaries, uterus, or testicles.
There are lots of reasons pregnancy doesn't always happen right away. Some common reasons include stress, not timing baby-making sex with ovulation, residual effects of hormonal birth control, and certain health conditions.
These can include abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, slightly elevated body temperature, changes in cervical mucus and saliva, and breast tenderness. Ovulation is a part of your fertile window, but pregnancy can happen up to 5 days prior and 1 day after you've ovulated.
Ideally, your doctor will cut through the same scar so that you don't have multiple scars on your abdomen and uterus. Sometimes scar tissue can be difficult to cut through but your doctor should be able to cut through it.
In some situations, a C-section is not only preferable but mandatory—situations involving conditions like placenta previa, in which going into labor would precipitate life-threatening hemorrhaging, or cord prolapse, which can cause the death of a baby if a C-section is not performed in a manner of minutes.
In rare cases, your C-section incision might open (or reopen). In medical terms, this is called C-section dehiscence.