Impact of the Length of Interpregnancy Interval on Obstetric Outcomes

Abstract

nter-pregnancy interval (IPI) is defined as the period between delivery of the previous infant and conception of the current pregnancy. This definition excludes miscarriage as a preceding pregnancy event. Both short and long intervals between pregnancies have been associated with increased risk of a number of adverse outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, small size for gestational age, and perinatal death. Birth spacing has become a major health promotion program strategy for mothers and children in recent decades in developing countries. The interpregnancy interval (IPI) has been reported to influence the outcome of pregnancy and birth. The relationship between the interpregnancy interval and perinatal health is receiving increasing attention. Perinatal mortality is an indicator of poor obstetric care. This study was held at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital on 1719 patients ranging between the ages of 18-35 years, and They were divided in to three groups according to the length of interpregnancy interval [444 patients in group p1 (6-18 months), 847 patients in group p2 (18-48) and 428 patients in group p3 (> 48 months)]. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of interpregnancy interval as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. I