| Methods |
Computerised random allocation. |
| Participants |
Low risk women at >= 38 weeks with dates ascertained by last menses, ultrasound examination and absence of uterine size/dates discrepancy. |
| Interventions |
Stretching of the cervix and membrane stripping versus Bishop scoring. Stretching/stripping was performed by one of two authors. |
| Outcomes |
Delay before labour onset, defined as a cervical dilatation >= 3 cm on admission, or membrane rupture with contractions. Dysfunctional contractions, premature rupture of membranes, mode of delivery, maternal febrile morbidity. |
| Notes |
9 excluded because of their request to halt the procedure. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
B ‐ Unclear |
