Comparison 3. Vaginal misoprostol versus placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Serious neonatal morbidity or death	1	77	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.34 [0.01, 8.14]
2 Epidural	1	50	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.77, 1.26]
3 Uterine hyperstimulation (with FHR changes)	3	265	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.97 [0.43, 9.00]
4 Uterine hyperstimulation (without FHR changes)	2	137	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.64 [0.15, 85.97]
5 Assisted (instrumental) vaginal birth	2	145	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.50, 1.67]
6 Caesarean section	4	325	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.94 [0.61, 1.46]
7 Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes	3	248	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.21 [0.01, 4.25]
8 NICU admission	4	325	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.54, 1.47]
9 Perinatal death	1	77	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.34 [0.01, 8.14]
10 Neonatal infection	1	68	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.30 [0.07, 1.36]
11 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Oxytocin dose used (mU)	1	72	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	1508.70 [‐2357.55, 5374.95]
12 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Number of medication dose	1	60	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.44 [‐0.49, ‐0.39]
13 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Number of women requiring dosing on day 2	1	60	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.43, 0.87]
14 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Number of women requiring induction on day 3	1	60	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.13 [0.04, 0.38]
15 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Days to admission (all) (days)	1	77	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐2.90 [‐4.99, ‐0.81]
16 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Days to admission (subgroups by parity) (days)	1	77	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐3.15 [‐5.40, ‐0.89]
16.1 Nulliparous women	1	41	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐3.20 [‐6.44, 0.04]
16.2 Parous women	1	36	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐3.10 [‐6.24, 0.04]
17 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Gestational age at labour (weeks)	1	77	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.80 [‐1.05, ‐0.55]
18 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Days to admission (parous) (weeks)	1	36	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐3.10 [‐6.24, 0.04]
19 Indicator of 'progress' in labour ‐ Days to PROM (days)	1	77	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐2.5 [‐4.14, ‐0.86]
20 Time to birth ‐ Interval from intervention to vaginal birth (days)	1	50	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.4 [‐3.51, 0.71]
21 Time to birth ‐ Days to birth (all) (days)	1	68	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.90 [‐3.74, ‐0.06]
22 Time to birth ‐ Days to birth (subgroups by parity) (days)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
22.1 Nulliparous women	1	39	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐3.0 [‐5.42, ‐0.58]
22.2 Parous women	1	29	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.60 [‐3.51, 2.31]