Comparison 1. Intermittent electronic fetal monitoring (CTG) versus routine Pinard.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Apgar < 7 at 5 minutes after birth	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.66 [0.24, 1.83]
2 Caesarean section for fetal distress	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.92 [1.78, 4.80]
3 Perinatal mortality	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.34, 2.25]
4 Fetal heart rate abnormality detected	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	6.08 [4.21, 8.79]
5 Early and late fetal heart rate decelerations detected	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.84 [1.82, 4.45]
6 Admission to NICU/NNU	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.63, 1.25]
7 Seizures in the neonatal period	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.05 [0.00, 0.89]
8 Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.20 [0.04, 0.90]
9 Caesarean section	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.92 [1.39, 2.64]
10 Instrumental vaginal birth	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.46 [0.86, 2.49]
11 Length of labour (hours)	1	633	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.90 [‐0.05, 1.85]