Preterm birth is commonly caused by smoking, drinking alcohol, or simply weak cervix. When a woman's cervix is weak (incompetent cervix) the baby is usually born prematurely because the cervix shortens or opens too early. Those with incompetent cervix gets the problem solved by having cervical cerclage.
Cervical cerclage involves stitching the opening so as to delay the delivery. One common type of stitching is the braided sutures, which according to a British research reported by Today Health & Wellness, is the "procedure that was associated with three times the risk of stillbirth and nearly twice the risk of preterm birth, compared to the less popular monofilament option."
The procedure for the cervical cerclage has already helped many mothers over the years. But for those who do not want to undergo such surgery, one of the best alternative is bed rest. Nonetheless, if the mother can sacrifice by getting into the initial pain of stitches until the 37th week, then it will be a surer way to delay early birth.
Women who have history of preterm birth should be cautious about the next pregnancies. CDC suggests that a "progesterone medication (17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, or 17P) may prevent preterm birth... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection (MakenaTM) to reduce the risk of preterm delivery..." It is always important to consult with your health care provider because these drugs may not be good for you if you have some other health cases.
Giving birth early may cause complications to the baby's health and among the major ones are: Feeding difficulties, breathing problems, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, and vision problems. No mother would like her baby to get into such difficulties so it is best to work on the "delay" so that the baby arrives at the right time.
