Comparison 2. Any planned birth versus expectant management (subgroup analysis by corticosteroid usage).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Neonatal infection	12	3652	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.94 [0.68, 1.32]
1.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
1.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	6	495	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.48, 2.03]
1.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	6	2850	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.95 [0.64, 1.41]
1.4 Not known	1	307	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.25, 2.55]
2 Neonatal infection confirmed with positive culture	7	2939	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.29 [0.74, 2.23]
2.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
2.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	3	259	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.18, 2.04]
2.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	5	2680	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.59 [0.85, 3.00]
3 Respiratory distress syndrome	12	3646	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.29 [1.07, 1.56]
3.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
3.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	6	495	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.32 [0.96, 1.83]
3.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	6	2844	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.28 [1.01, 1.63]
3.4 Not known	1	307	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.27 [0.55, 2.94]
4 Caesarean section	12	3644	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.26 [1.11, 1.44]
4.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	6	493	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.43 [1.00, 2.06]
4.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	6	2844	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.27 [1.10, 1.47]
4.4 Not known	1	307	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.51, 1.61]
5 Chorioamnionitis	8	1358	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.49 [0.33, 0.72]
5.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	4	398	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.38 [0.22, 0.67]
5.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	4	960	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.36, 1.06]
6 Endometritis	7	2980	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.61 [1.00, 2.59]
6.1 Antenatal corticosteroids	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6.2 No antenatal corticosteroids	2	185	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.38 [0.32, 5.94]
6.3 Some antenatal corticosteroids	5	2795	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.64 [0.99, 2.72]