| Methods |
Random allocation based on a computer generated sequence. Concealment of allocation by consecutively numbered, sealed, opaque envelopes, opened by the delivery room nurse during a telephone call with the obstetrician. Randomly permutated blocks of 6 and 8, stratified by hospital (3 participating hospitals and 29 obstetricians). |
| Participants |
Women for whom non‐urgent induction of labour was medically indicated. A date for formal induction of labour was given prior to randomisation, at least 3 days and not later than one week after inclusion. |
| Interventions |
Intervention arm: sweeping of membranes. If not possible, the cervix was either dilated by the examining finger, or a cervical 'massage' was performed.
Control arm: cervical assessment by Bishop score. |
| Outcomes |
Formal induction of labour; delay before spontaneous labour onset; maternal discomfort; bleeding; other side‐effects during or after the procedure; caesarean section; forceps/vacuum; requirement for analgesia during labour; neonatal morbidity. |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Low risk |
A ‐ Adequate |
