Comparison 4. Balloon (Foley or ATAD) versus intracervical prostaglandin E2: all women.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Vaginal delivery not achieved in 24 hours	2	200	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.01 [0.35, 2.91]
2 Uterine hyperstimulation with FHR changes	4	447	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.37 [0.02, 8.90]
3 Caesarean section	9	1309	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.81, 1.15]
4 Serious neonatal morbidity/perinatal death	2	500	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.78 [0.29, 2.05]
5 Cervix unfavourable/unchanged after 24 hours	2	219	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.70, 1.34]
6 Oxytocin augmentation	1	400	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.08 [0.93, 1.26]
7 Uterine hyperstimulation without FHR changes	5	654	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.09, 10.38]
8 Epidural analgesia	1	149	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.81, 1.02]
9 Instrumental vaginal delivery	3	337	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.18 [0.68, 2.05]
10 Meconium‐stained liquor	1	118	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.17 [0.42, 3.26]
11 Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes	2	475	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.79 [0.41, 1.53]
12 Neonatal intensive care unit admission	1	400	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.60, 1.31]
13 Perinatal death	2	500	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.78 [0.29, 2.05]
14 Maternal side effects	2	211	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.15 [0.02, 1.24]
15 Postpartum haemorrhage	1	100	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.2 [0.01, 4.06]
16 Chorioamnionitis	1	118	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.0 [0.21, 4.75]
17 Endometritis	1	118	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.0 [0.06, 15.61]
18 Fetal distress	6	1023	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.42, 0.89]