Short Interpregnancy Interval and Low Birth Weight

Objective: To determine the frequency of Low Birth Weight among women with short interpregnancy interval. Study Design: Descriptive case series. Study Setting: Study was conducted at Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit 1, Civil Hospital, Karachi. Duration of Study: Six months after approval of synopsis from 22-12-15 till 22-06-16. Subjects and Methods: Data was prospectively collected from patients after taking a verbal consent. 384 women with short interval pregnancy were included. Quantitative data was presented as simple descriptive statistics giving mean and standard deviation and qualitative variables was presented as frequency and percentages. Effect modifiers were controlled through stratification to see the effect of these on the outcome variable. Post stratification chi square test was applied taking p-value of ≤0.05 as significant. Results: Out of 384 patients mean age and BMI in our study was 29.56±3.91 years and 30.72±1.34 kg/m2 respectively. 135 (35.2%) and 249 (64.8%) had and did not have low birth weight respectively. Conclusion: Our study confirmed that short IPI is an independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes like low birth weight. These finding emphasize the importance of providing support for family planning programs which will support optimal IPI and improve pregnancy outcomes. Keywords: Short interpregnancy interval and low birth weight.

Short interpregnancy interval: circumstance or choice?

IntroductionDespite the knowledge of pregnancy risks attributable to inadequate birth spacing, over one-third of pregnancies occur within 18 months of a preceding birth. In this qualitative study we sought to interview women with a short interpregnancy interval (sIPI) to explore their knowledge of contraception and birth spacing and their experience of counselling on these themes.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with women with a sIPI (live-birth less than 18 months prior to conception of current pregnancy) at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Canterbury Hospital in Sydney, Australia. Women were recruited at the second antenatal visit or day 3 postpartum. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. The six-phase thematic analysis framework described by Braun and Clarke was used to perform qualitative data analysis.ResultsTwenty women were interviewed (IPI range: 3–18 months). The three central themes that arose were that perceptions of IPIs are shaped by individual circumstances, a lack of information from healthcare providers (HCPs) on IPI and contraception limited women’s ability to make informed decisions, and that reproductive life planning is an important element of pregnancy care.ConclusionsIn this study, women with a sIPI did not feel informed about birth spacing, had poor knowledge of reliable contraceptives, and remained at risk of further closely spaced pregnancies. There was a desire among women with a sIPI to receive clear and consistent education on these topics. HCPs need to do more to educate women in the antenatal and postnatal period to help them space their pregnancies appropriately.