Is Pregnancy Within a Year After Birth Risky? Experts Respond After Debate Over Shohei Ohtani’s Family News

Shohei Ohtani (31) was placed on the paternity list and temporarily left the team due to the birth of his wife Mamiko’s second child. While messages of congratulations poured in from around the world, some people on social media questioned the situation, expressing concerns such as “I’m worried about the strain on the mother’s body” after learning that the pregnancy occurred soon after childbirth, resulting in children born close together.

What risks are associated with a short interval between giving birth and becoming pregnant again? And how can a woman safely experience a second pregnancy and childbirth? We spoke with Dr. Kenichiro Sakaguchi, director of Sangenjaya Art Clinic. (The following quotations are from Dr. Sakaguchi.)

Was it too soon to resume?

“When the interval between childbirth and the next pregnancy is short, studies have reported an increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, fetal growth restriction, and maternal anemia. However, these are only statistical trends observed across groups. The actual risks vary greatly depending on factors such as the mother’s age, health condition, the course of the previous pregnancy and delivery, breastfeeding status, nutritional condition, sleep, and childcare environment.”

Pregnancy and childbirth bring major changes to the mother’s body. After delivery, it is important not only to recover physical strength but also to improve nutritional status, including iron and folic acid levels.

In cases where children are born close together, breastfeeding the first child and sleep deprivation caused by nighttime childcare can add to the burden, meaning the physical strain on the mother should not be underestimated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends spacing pregnancies by a certain interval in order to reduce risks to both the mother and the baby. Generally, it is considered preferable to wait around 24 months between childbirth and the next pregnancy—meaning a gap of about two years.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and other organizations also recommend avoiding pregnancy intervals shorter than six months and advise that women who become pregnant within 18 months of giving birth should consult with a doctor while considering the risks and benefits.

“Although these are important guidelines, there are people who can safely become pregnant and give birth even with a shorter interval if their previous pregnancy had no complications and their recovery has been smooth. The important thing is to evaluate each individual situation comprehensively.”

On social media, some people have also asked: “Is it even possible to become pregnant so soon after giving birth?” Dr. Sakaguchi explains:

“Generally, once postpartum bleeding has subsided and a one-month postpartum checkup confirms that there are no problems with the mother’s recovery, couples can consider resuming sexual activity. However, the timing differs from person to person depending on factors such as the condition of episiotomy wounds or cesarean-section scars, bleeding, pain, breastfeeding, and physical condition affected by lack of sleep.”

However, there is an important point that many people misunderstand.

“After childbirth, menstruation may not immediately return, but that does not mean pregnancy cannot occur. Ovulation can happen even during breastfeeding, and the first ovulation after childbirth occurs before the first menstrual period. Therefore, some women become pregnant before their periods resume. If pregnancy is not desired, contraception should also be considered when sexual activity is resumed.”

There are also cases that require particularly careful management.

“If the previous delivery was by cesarean section, if the mother is of advanced maternal age, if the previous pregnancy involved premature birth or fetal growth restriction, or if there were complications such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy or diabetes, it is important to thoroughly consult with the attending physician before becoming pregnant again.”

Among these, pregnancy after a cesarean section is a situation in which many obstetricians exercise particular caution.

“In a cesarean section, a surgical scar remains on the uterus. While the external wound heals relatively quickly, it takes time for the muscular layer of the uterus to fully recover. For this reason, many obstetricians advise waiting about one year before the next pregnancy.”

Dr. Sakaguchi continued:

“If pregnancy occurs without a sufficient interval after a cesarean section, the risk of uterine rupture is believed to increase, although it is rare, because the uterus expands during pregnancy and undergoes strong contractions during labor. Of course, this does not happen to everyone, but careful management is required if pregnancy occurs.”

Having children close in age is not inherently bad

Having the experience of raising a child still fresh in memory, being able to reuse baby items, and having siblings who are close in age and can become playmates—there are also advantages to having children born close together.

However, even during morning sickness, childcare for the older child continues, and many parents still need to carry their child while pregnant. Nighttime crying and breastfeeding can also overlap. There is no doubt that closely spaced pregnancies can place a significant physical and emotional burden on the mother.

“Pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children close in age require essential support from the husband and family. Pregnancy and childbirth happen within a woman’s body, but childcare is something the entire family should support. Creating an environment where the mother does not have to push herself too hard leads to safer pregnancy and childbirth.”

Regarding the case of Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko, Dr. Sakaguchi said:

“Since we do not have access to their individual medical information, it is impossible to determine from the outside whether there were any risks or problems with the mother’s health. Based only on the information reported in the media, we should not assume that there were complications or that the risk was high.”

He also criticized the heated debate on social media.

“Pregnancy and childbirth are highly individual experiences. While there are certainly points that require attention when pregnancy occurs within one year after giving birth, it is not something that can simply be judged as good or bad based on that alone. It is not as simple as saying that having children close in age is dangerous or that becoming pregnant soon after childbirth is irresponsible.”

Some parents of children born close in age may have felt hurt or uncomfortable seeing the discussions surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s second child. There are many families across Japan raising children who are close in age, and each family is doing its best to navigate the challenges of parenting while dealing with their own circumstances.

It is important to have accurate knowledge about the medical risks involved. At the same time, we must not forget that speculation or criticism from people who do not know the full circumstances can hurt those directly involved, as well as others in similar situations. Rather than making blanket judgments about what is right or wrong, what is needed is an attitude of deepening understanding based on accurate information and respecting each family’s choices.