Tremeau 1992.

Methods	Randomised controlled trial examining the effect of acupuncture on cervical maturation. Parallel design of acupuncture versus usual care and sham acupuncture.
Participants	128 women met the entry criteria and were randomised. Participants were recruited from a maternity hospital in France. Women were 37 to 38 weeks pregnant with a Bishop's score of less than 4. Exclusion criteria included: at risk of premature delivery, planned caesarean section, placenta previa, and receiving concurrent treatments such as yoga, homeopathy, acupuncture.
Interventions	Acupuncture points were selected based on those used to increase cervical maturation including: CV2, CV3, CV4, Liv3, BL60, GB34, ST36, LI4, SP6, BL67. The acupuncture control was pricked with needles at sites 1 cm from the bilateral acupoint, and 1 cm from the mid‐line points, and a third group received usual care. 3 treatment sessions were administered, with electro‐stimulation for 20 minutes.
Outcomes	The Bishop's score was assessed 48 hours after the last acupuncture session, duration of labour, and time to 2 cm cervical dilatation.
Notes	Study duration 1st February to 30th October 1990 Funding: not reported Conflicts of Interest: not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	No details were reported on whether the integrity of blinding between acupuncture and the sham group was maintained.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	The outcome assessment was undertaken by a clinician blind to group.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	16% of women did not complete the protocol due to spontaneous labour before the second examination, 2 women declined the second examination, and 1 woman did not return for acupuncture.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Limited reporting and unable to assess.
Other bias	Low risk	No imbalance in baseline characteristics.

^{ACOG:American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
 AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
 CTG: Cardiotocography
 DAU: Day Assessment Unit
 EDC: estimated date of confinement
 HIV: Human Immunodeficiency
 min: Minute
 NICU: Neonatal Intensive Care
 NST: Non Stress Test
 NVD: Normal Vaginal Delivery
 pH: potentia hydrogenii
 PROM: premature rupture of membranes
 TCM: traditional Chinese medicine
 TENS: transcutaneous nerve stimulation}