In the News

How Soon After Birth Can You Get Pregnant?

The Bump

You may be surprised to know that it’s possible to get pregnant again very soon after childbirth, within just a few months. You can conceive even if you haven’t had your first postpartum period yet. “It’s not common, but absolutely possible—in fact, there are cases of women who ovulate and get pregnant within six weeks after delivery, which is before their postpartum checkup visit with their doctor,” said Kyle Graham, M.D., a board-certified OBGYN and medical director at Obstetrics and Gynecology of San Jose, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group. You can also get pregnant while breastfeeding as you might not have a period due to the hormonal changes. “Sometimes this works as contraception but it’s not foolproof,” noted Dr. Graham, adding that since you can ovulate while breastfeeding (even if it’s irregular), you can still get pregnant. “A change in how you breastfeed can affect whether you get pregnant or not—if you breastfeed less frequently or your supply of breastmilk decreases or changes, then that might lead your body to allow for ovulation again.”

View the full story on The Bump