Comparison 3. Continuous support versus usual care ‐ availability of epidural analgesia.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Spontaneous vaginal birth	19	14218	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.08 [1.04, 1.12]
1.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	13	12672	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.06 [1.02, 1.10]
1.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	6	1546	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.11 [1.04, 1.19]
2 Negative rating of/negative feelings about birth experience	11	11178	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.69 [0.60, 0.79]
2.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	9	10404	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.63, 0.86]
2.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	2	774	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.55 [0.48, 0.63]
3 Postpartum depression	2		Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	1	6915	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.75, 1.05]
3.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	1	149	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.18 [0.09, 0.36]
4 Admission to special care nursery	7	8897	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.76, 1.25]
4.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	5	8380	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.85, 1.13]
4.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	2	517	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.26 [0.08, 0.88]
5 Exclusive or any breastfeeding at any time point, as defined by trial authors	3		Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
5.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	2	5214	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.94, 1.06]
5.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	1	149	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.15 [0.95, 1.40]
6 Any analgesia/anaesthesia	14	12350	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.90 [0.84, 0.96]
6.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	9	10888	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.84, 0.97]
6.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	5	1462	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.83 [0.69, 0.99]
7 Synthetic oxytocin during labour	16	12697	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.91, 1.03]
7.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	8	10568	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.94, 1.05]
7.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	8	2129	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.62, 1.03]
8 Caesarean birth	24	15347	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.64, 0.88]
8.1 Epidural analgesia routinely available	14	13064	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.81, 1.02]
8.2 Epidural analgesia not routinely available	8	2149	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.54 [0.41, 0.72]
8.3 Unknown availability of epidural analgesia	2	134	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.36 [0.04, 3.09]