For maximum protection, women after childbirth should not wait until the return of monthly bleeding to start a contraceptive method, but start as soon as safe guidance for her chosen method allows.

Intervals of at least 2 years have health benefits for both the woman and baby.

Appropriate birth spacing lowers the risk of:

Maternal mortality
Fetal death (miscarriage or stillbirth), neonatal mortality
Anaemia in the mother during subsequent pregnancies
Postpartum inflammation of the endometrium lining the uterus
Premature rupture of the amniotic membranes surrounding the fetus
Premature birth
Intrauterine growth retardation and a low birth-weight baby
Malnutrition of newborns and infants due to insufficient breastmilk.

Coordinate your family planning visits with an infant's immunization schedule. And remember that optimal breastfeeding offers triple value: important improvements in child survival and health, better health for mothers, and temporary contraception.

In the next study session, you will learn about the principles of effective counselling, so you can communicate the health promotion messages to pregnant women sensitively during antenatal care, and address their concerns and beliefs about pregnancy and childbirth.