'My body wanted to let me down' Kym Marsh opens up about the premature birth of her 'miracle' daughter Polly

Kym Marsh has opened up about the terrifying circumstances surrounding the early birth of her daughter Polly.

The Coronation Street star's little girl was born five weeks ahead of her due date and Kym feared the worst, given the fact her son Archie had died after arriving prematurely two years earlier.

'I was on bed rest for the last three months of my pregnancy. It was very stressful. I needed her to be here safely, especially with what happened with Archie’, Kym revealed to OK! magazine.

'My body wanted to let me down and it was completely out of my hands. The odds were against Polly surviving, she's our little miracle. I couldn't have lost another child.'

Archie passed away shortly after entering the world in 2009, when Kym was just 22 weeks pregnant.

The mum went on to explain to the publication that she started encountering problems while expecting Polly during her second trimester.

'Everything was OK until 17 weeks and then my cervix started to open. I had emergency surgery and they put a stitch in my womb to keep it closed. I had an incompetent cervix, which is what we found out potentially happened to Archie', she continued.

'It wanted to get rid of whatever was inside it and that's almost certainly what happened to my son Archie.'

It's very clear that Kym feels very blessed to have Polly, who's now seven-years-old, in her life.

She continued: 'Polly's very special. We all think she’s a gift from Archie. It wasn't just my strength that got her here, it was hers too. She's tough.'

Polly was born during Kym's marriage to Hollyoaks' Jamie Lomas. The 42-year-old actor was also the father of Archie.

Last month, on what would have been Archie's ninth birthday, the mum posted on Instagram: '9 years ago today our lives changed forever. Our hearts will never heal and our tears will always fall because we miss you so much.

'I am so proud to have been your mummy. I wish we were having a party today with balloons and presents. I wish I had got to see your smile and hold your hand. I wish I could kiss your face and hug you tightly.'

Kym also shares two grown-up children - a daughter named Emily and a son called David - with her ex-partner Dave Cunliffe.