Expecting Again

In the March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researchers looked at four earlier studies to measure when women could become pregnant again after they've had a baby. They included only women who weren't breastfeeding, and focused on when they ovulated for the first time, which sets the stage for a possible pregnancy.

The researchers found that among women who are not breastfeeding, most won't start ovulating until six weeks after they have a baby. However, some women will ovulate sooner, which could put them at risk of becoming pregnant.

This is an important question for women who want to go on the Pill. Birth control pills that contain estrogen and progestin may not be safe for women in the first few weeks after having a baby. That's because they're linked to a higher risk of blood clots, and women who were just pregnant already have a higher risk of this problem.

According to the researchers, for most women who aren't breastfeeding, the benefit of using this type of Pill outweighs the risk starting at 21 days after having a baby.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news that doctors are reading; health news that matters to you.