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To examine the relation between interpregnancy interval (IPI; time between first birth and conception of subsequent pregnancy) and maternal and newborn outcomes, investigators in British Columbia studied a cohort that included 124,000 younger women (age range, 20–34) and 17,500 older women (age ≥35). IPI was stratified in 6-month intervals from <6 to ≥24 months.
In general, outcomes were better with longer IPIs (i.e., 18 months vs. 6 months). Specifically, with longer IPI, improvements in maternal outcomes were more pronounced in older women whereas improvements in newborn outcomes were more marked in younger women. For example, among older women, risk for maternal mortality/severe morbidity was lower with an 18-month versus a 6-month IPI (0…