Birth Space

Birth Space Less Written by: Wahida Sabir

Birth Spacing is the practice of waiting between pregnancies. A woman’s body needs to rest following pregnancy. After having a baby, it is a good idea to wait at least 18 months before getting pregnant again to maintain the best health for her body and her children.

The 18-month rest period is called “birth spacing.” When the time between pregnancies is less than 18 months, her body may not be ready to have a healthy baby.

In our country, parents, especially some fathers, want to have many children but they do not consider the space between births. Getting pregnant in less than two years gap can cause problems for the mother and her baby. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some parents and a gynecologist about this issue.

A mother from Bamiyan province says, “I have given birth to 6 children regardless considering the space between the births. One of my children is suffering from malnutrition and I got very weak and suffering from osteoporosis and fall, my bone might break.  Now I am under treatment.”

A mother from Ahmad Shahbaba Mena, district 12th of Kabul city says, “I have given birth to 11 babies without considering the birth gap. Now I am suffering from anemia, stress, and my teeth are decayed.”

Doctor Ghotai, one of the gynecologists at one of the maternity hospitals in Kabul city says, “Mothers who give birth in less than two to three years have anemia caused and anemia heart palpitations and skin blemishes, back pain, leg pain, headache, boredom, weakness, loosening of the uterine muscles that causes uterus collapses and the mortality rate will be high in these mothers as well as their children will grow physically weak.”

What do some mothers say about the problems of short birth space?

A mother from Maidan-Wardak province says, “Not considering birth space caused me weakness and I could eat anything.”

A mother from Kabul city says, “Delivering baby reduces mother’s life and those who do not consider space between births, face more problems.”

Doctor Ghotai says, “If the mother gives birth in less than two years, her body iron, calcium and minerals will be consumed and she might not have enough sleep; she will get bored, the child who has to breastfeed until the age of two years, might not be breastfed and the fetus could not supplement his/her food from the mother, so he/she will be born physically and mentally weak.”

How do some mothers arrange birth space?

A mother from Parwan province says, “When I gave birth to my second baby, I went to the national family planning g center and they injected me birth control shot, I got pregnant after 6 years and then they injected me for the second time, I gave birth to my baby after 5 years.”

A mother from Kabul city says, “After giving birth to my first two babies, I avoid sperms in my uterus.”

Doctor Ghotai says, “There are many ways to control pregnancy: birth control pills, rings, injections, and intercourse care are the most common of them."