Table 1.
Summary table of scope of reviews in a systematic review of reviews1
| Review Year |
Aim (participants) | Search strategy | No. of studies included | Total no. of participants | Timing of preventative strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King & Flenady 2002 | To assess the effects of prophylactic antibiotics on preterm labour (women symptomatic for preterm labour) | Cochrane Pregnancy & Childbirth Group (May 2002) Search terms provided. No language restrictions |
11 | 7428 (6295 enrolled in one trial) | Mean gestational age at entry to all trials 30-32 weeks (but varied across studies) |
| Simcox et al 2007 | To determine if antibiotics reduce the risk of preterm birth (asymptomatic women at risk, e.g. previous preterm birth or positive fibronectin status) | Cochrane Pregnancy & Childbirth Group (2005) Search terms provided. English language publications. |
17 | 1291 | 12-28 weeks across studies |
1Reprinted from the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Volume 142, Smith V, Devane D, Begley CM, Clarke M, Higgins S. A systematic review and quality assessment of systematic reviews of randomised trials of interventions for preventing and treating preterm birth. 3-11, Copyright (2009), with permission from Elsevier.