Table 3.
Trial outcomes. Values are number with outcome/number in group (percentage) unless stated otherwise
| Outcomes | Controlled cord traction | Standard placenta expulsion | Relative risk (95% CI) | Mean difference (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood loss ≥500 mL | 196/2005 (9.8) | 206/2008 (10.3) | 0.95 (0.79 to 1.15) | — |
| By hospital: | 0.31* | |||
| Port-Royal maternity hospital | 46/473 (9.7) | 37/482 (7.7) | 1.27 (0.84 to 1.92) | — |
| Saint Vincent de Paul University hospital | 20/199 (10.1) | 14/196 (7.1) | 1.41 (0.73 to 2.71) | — |
| Caen University hospital | 40/344 (11.6) | 49/330 (14.9) | 0.78 (0.53 to 1.16) | — |
| Lille University hospital | 38/445 (8.5) | 42/443 (9.5) | 0.90 (0.59 to 1.37) | — |
| Angers University hospital | 52/544 (9.6) | 64/557 (11.5) | 0.83 (0.59 to 1.18) | — |
| Blood loss ≥1000 mL | 34/2005 (1.7) | 37/2008 (1.8) | 0.92 (0.58 to 1.46) | — |
| Mean (SD) blood loss at 15 minutes (mL) | 163 (4) (n=2005) | 161 (4) (n=2001) | — | 1.7 (−8.8 to 12.2) |
| Mean (SD) total blood loss (mL) | 207 (5) (n=2005) | 217 (6) (n=2008) | — | −9.4 (−24.8 to 6.0) |
| Blood transfusion for postpartum haemorrhage | 12/2034 (0.6) | 9/2024 (0.4) | 1.33 (0.56 to 3.14) | — |
| Arterial embolisation or surgery for postpartum haemorrhage | 3/2034 (0.1) | 5/2024 (0.3) | 0.60 (0.14 to 2.49) | — |
| Mean (SD) peripartum change in haemoglobin (g/L)† | 86 (0.3) (n=1961) | 87 (0.3) (n=1953) | — | −0.2 (−1.0 to 0.7) |
| Mean (SD) peripartum change in haematocrit (%)‡ | 2.1 (0.1) (n=1904) | 2.2 (0.1) (n=1890) | — | −0.05 (−0.29 to 0.19) |
| Mean (SD) duration of third stage (min) | 5.5 (0.1) (n=2030) | 8.7 (0.1) (n=2020) | — | −3.26 (−3.62 to −2.90) |
| Third stage ≥15 minutes | 91/2030 (4.5) | 289/2020 (14.3) | 0.31 (0.25 to 0.39) | — |
| Manual removal of placenta | 85/2033 (4.2) | 123/2024 (6.1) | 0.69 (0.53 to 0.90) | — |
| Additional uterotonics after placenta delivery | 727/2030 (35.8) | 805/2024 (39.8) | 0.92 (0.83 to 0.97) | — |
| Maternal pain during third stage | 109/1892 (5.8) | 138/1868 (7.4) | 0.78 (0.61 to 0.99) | — |
| Cord rupture | 89/2034 (4.4) | 2/2024 (0.1) | 44.3 (10.9 to 179.6) | — |
| Uterine inversion | 0/2034 (0.0) | 0/2024 (0.0) | — | — |
*P for Mantel-Haenszel test of homogeneity across centres.
†Prepartum haemoglobin level measured within eighth month of gestation and arrival in labour ward in 1778 (90.7%) and 1760 (90.1%), at arrival in labour ward in 95 (4.8%) and 99 (5.1%), and between 5-7 months of gestation in 88 (4.5%) and 94 (4.8%), in controlled cord traction and standard placenta expulsion arms, respectively; postpartum haemoglobin level measured at postpartum day 2 in 1793 (91.4%) and 1787 (91.5%) and on another day between one and eight days in 168 (8.6%) and 166 (8.5%) in controlled cord traction and standard placenta expulsion arms, respectively.
‡Prepartum haematocrit measured within eighth month of gestation and arrival in labour ward in 1724 (90.5%) and 1707 (90.3%), at arrival in labour ward in 95 (5.0%) and 99 (5.2%), and between the 5-7 months of gestation in 85 (4.5%) and 84 (4.4%) in controlled cord traction and standard placenta expulsion groups, respectively; postpartum haematocrit measured at postpartum day 2 in 1737 (91.2%) and 1725 (91.3%) and on another day between one and eight days in 167 (8.8%) and 165 (8.7%) in controlled cord traction and standard placenta expulsion arms, respectively.