Preterm birth is a major public health concern, with an estimated 15 million babies born preterm each year. It is a leading cause of death and disability in newborns, and can have long-term consequences for the health and wellbeing of both mother and child. Fortunately, there are a number of interventions that can help reduce the risk of preterm birth. In this article, we will explore the various interventions available for preterm birth, including cervical cerclage, pessary treatment, progesterone treatment, infection screening and treatment programs, and anti-smoking legislation.
Cervical cerclage and the cervical pessary are two treatments that aim to support the cervix mechanically to prevent cervical dilation and preterm birth. These interventions are multidisciplinary in nature, requiring the participation of staff from multiple fields, including those formulating local and national policies. Immediate delivery versus delayed delivery of preterm infants with suspected fetal involvement is also an active area for research. Antibiotic treatment has been shown to reduce low birth weight and premature births, although this association should be interpreted with caution due to the poor quality of the studies included.
Progesterone treatment has also been found to be effective in preventing preterm birth in women who show a short cervix on ultrasound images in the middle of pregnancy. Strategies to prevent preterm birth are feasible to implement and are likely to be successful in high-resource settings. A review of 11 studies that included local or national prohibitions showed that anti-smoking legislation was associated with a significant 10% reduction in preterm births (95% confidence interval: −18.8 to −2.0). This summary included all interventions that could be applied during pregnancy to prevent PTB, regardless of women's risk factors.
It is interesting to note that the reduction in preterm birth rates was not associated with a similar effect on low birth weight rates. Changes in preterm birth rates in populations in transition provide some evidence that environmental and lifestyle factors may be involved, and these may be susceptible to intervention. Progesterone has also been evaluated as a possible treatment for other conditions that can cause premature birth. During this period, similar increases in late preterm births have been reported in other countries, such as South America (20%), France (2) and Australia (22, 2).In conclusion, there are a number of interventions available for preterm birth that can help reduce the risk of preterm birth and improve outcomes for both mother and child.
These interventions include cervical cerclage and pessary treatment, progesterone treatment, infection screening and treatment programs, and anti-smoking legislation. It is important to note that these interventions should be implemented in high-resource settings for maximum effectiveness.
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