Objective: Short interpregnancy interval (IPI), <18 months between pregnancies, is a potential cause of adverse delivery and birth outcomes, and may be a particular issue among those with other risks. Our goal was to examine IPI and delivery/infant complications in Tennessee. Methods: Birth certificate/vital records data included 101,912 women with a previous delivery. IPI groups (<6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-60 months) were compared on outcomes. Results: Thirty-nine percent of the deliveries had IPI <18 months, 9% were <6 months, rates 11% and 27% higher than nationally. Women with IPI <18 months were younger, lower educated with lower income, had higher BMIs, and were more likely to be unmarried, smokers, and have begun prenatal care later (p <.001). In adjusted analyses, IPI <18 months predicted elevated risk for precipitous labor, low-birth weight, preterm delivery, NICU admission, and infant mortality, with effects strongest for IPI <6 months. Finally, risks related to IPI <6 months were substantially higher for the lowest income women. Conclusions: Rates of less than optimal IPI were high in this population already experiencing significant maternal-child health disparities, with short IPI a particular risk factor for poor out-comes for the most disadvantaged women, suggesting yet another precursor for adverse birth outcomes in those already most at risk.

Rapid repeat pregnancy (RRP) is associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes and a range of undesirable social and economic challenges for the mother, her baby, and society. Although the consequences of RRP are well known, Zimbabwe—a country with some of the poorest maternal health indicators—has not investigated or made efforts to directly address this problem. This is confirmed by the lack of targeted programs to curb RRP, the unavailability of documented evidence regarding RRP significant risk factors, and the lack of understanding of the extent of RRP in the country. Using social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework, an unmatched case-control study was conducted using data from the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey of 2015 to determine the prevalence of RRP and to assess associations between sociodemographic, sexual-relational, women's health, fertility preference, previous birth outcomes, and social factors and having an RRP in Zimbabwe. Logistic regression analysis showed statistically significant associations between all factors except for women's health characteristics. The prevalence of RRP among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Zimbabwe was 50.2%. The high prevalence of RRP and the multiple statistically significant associations reported in this study affirm the need for Zimbabwe to make prevention of RRP a public health priority. Zimbabwe must develop targeted interventions that work in context and integrate these into an ongoing comprehensive family planning program. In-depth research is needed to establish and understand the underlying motivations for having an RRP among Zimbabwean women. Such information may help develop targeted interventions to create social change.

Abstract Termination of pregnancy (TOP) is the most common gynaecological procedure, each year approximately 9500 TOPs have been performed in Finland in recent years. In recent decades the termination practice has changed. In Finland the traditional surgical method has been largely replaced by medical method. Commonly, women undergoing TOP are at their best reproductive age, and a high proportion of them will be pregnant again later in life. There has been a concern that TOP might lead to adverse outcomes in following pregnancies, or could affect future fertility. However, the long-term reproductive health effects of TOP, and especially the effects of medical TOP, are not well established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of medical TOP and the influence of inter-pregnancy intervals (IPIs) after TOP on the risk of adverse events in following pregnancies. The other part of the study assessed which factors are associated with future in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment after TOP. In this large nationwide register-based study, the risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, SGA (small-for-gestational-age) infants and placental complications were similar among women giving birth following a single first-trimester medical TOP (n = 3441) compared with surgical TOP (n = 4853), and after a single second-trimester medical TOP (n = 416) compared with first-trimester medical TOP (n = 3427). Women who conceived &lt; 6 months after TOP (n = 2956) had a slightly but significantly increased risk of preterm birth compared with women who conceived at 18 to &lt; 24 months (n = 2076). A higher age and a lower number of previous terminations and deliveries at the time of TOP were associated with the IVF treatments in the future. TOP-associated factors, such as method or complications of TOP or gestational age at TOP did not have an association with IVF. This study provides further evidence on the safety of medical TOP as regards the following pregnancy. Well-timed subsequent pregnancy after TOP may help to avoid potential harmful consequences associated with preterm birth. The factors found to be associated with IVF treatments after TOP are those generally recognized risk factors for infertility. / Tiivistelmä Raskaudenkeskeytys on yleisin gynekologinen toimenpide; viime vuosina Suomessa on tehty keskimäärin 9500 keskeytystä vuosittain. Kahden viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana raskaudenkeskeytysmenetelmien käytössä on tapahtunut merkittävä muutos. Lääkkeellinen menetelmä on lähes syrjäyttänyt perinteisen kirurgisen menetelmän Suomessa. Suurin osa keskeytykseen hakeutuvista naisista on nuoria ja huomattava osa suunnittelee raskautta myöhemmässä elämänvaiheessa. Tämä on herättänyt huolen siitä, onko raskaudenkeskeytyksellä vaikutusta seuraavan raskauden kulkuun tai myöhempään hedelmällisyyteen. Yhteneväistä laajaa näyttöä raskaudenkeskeytyksen, erityisesti lääkkeellisen menetelmän, pitkäaikaisvaikutuksista lisääntymisterveyteen ei kuitenkaan ole saatavilla. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää lääkkeellisen raskaudenkeskeytyksen sekä keskeytyksen ja seuraavan raskauden välisen ajan vaikutuksia mahdollisiin haitallisiin tapahtumiin keskeytystä seuraavassa raskaudessa. Lisäksi selvitettiin, ovatko keskeytykseen liittyvät tekijät yhteydessä mahdolliseen myöhempään koeputkihedelmöityshoitoon (in vitro fertilization, IVF). Tässä laajassa valtakunnallisessa rekisteripohjaisessa tutkimuksessa ennenaikaisen synnytyksen, vastasyntyneen matalan syntymäpainon, pienikokoisena syntyneen lapsen ja istukkaongelmien riski oli samankaltainen yhden lääkkeellisen (n = 3441) ja kirurgisen (n = 4853) ensimmäisen raskauskolmanneksen keskeytyksen jälkeen. Myöskään ensimmäisen (n = 3427) ja toisen raskauskolmanneksen (n = 416) lääkkeellisen keskeytyksen välillä ei havaittu eroja kyseisissä haittatapahtumissa. Ennenaikaisen synnytyksen riski lisääntyi hieman naisilla, joilla keskeytyksen ja seuraavan raskauden välinen aika oli alle kuusi kuukautta (n = 2956) verrattuna naisiin, joilla raskauksien välinen aika oli 18–23 kuukautta (n = 2076). IVF-hoitoja lisäsivät naisen korkeampi ikä ja matalampi aikaisempien keskeytysten ja synnytysten määrä keskeytyshetkellä. Raskaudenkeskeytykseen liittyvät tekijät, kuten keskeytysmenetelmä, komplikaatiot tai raskausviikot keskeytyshetkellä, eivät sen sijaan liittyneet myöhempään hoitojen tarpeeseen. Tutkimus antaa lisätietoa lääkkeellisen raskaudenkeskeytyksen turvallisuudesta. Hyvin ajoitettu seuraava raskaus keskeytyksen jälkeen voi vähentää ennenaikaisen synnytyksen riskiä. IVF-hoidot keskeytyksen jälkeen liittyvät aiemmin tunnettuihin lapsettomuuden riskitekijöihin.