Comparison 1. Oral misoprostol versus no uterotonic/placebo (subgroups by dose).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Maternal death	3	3965	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.46 [0.24, 8.81]
1.1 600 mcg	3	3965	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.46 [0.24, 8.81]
2 Maternal death or severe morbidity	2	2848	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.16 [0.36, 3.80]
2.1 600 mcg	2	2848	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.16 [0.36, 3.80]
3 Severe postpartum haemorrhage (>= 1000 ml)	7		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
3.1 600 mcg	6		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
3.2 400 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4 Postpartum haemorrhage (>= 500 ml)	5		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
4.1 600 mcg	5		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4.2 400 mcg	0		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5 Blood loss (ml)	5		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
5.1 600 mcg	4		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.2 400 mcg	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6 Use of additional uterotonics	5	3585	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.87 [0.70, 1.08]
6.1 600 mcg	4	2685	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.66, 1.13]
6.2 400 mcg	2	900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.61, 1.26]
7 Blood transfusion	4	3519	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.31 [0.10, 0.94]
7.1 600 mcg	3	2619	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.24 [0.06, 0.94]
7.2 400 mcg	2	900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.6 [0.08, 4.52]
8 Manual removal of placenta	3	1900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.85 [0.27, 2.63]
8.1 600 mcg	2	1000	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.33 [0.30, 5.93]
8.2 400 mcg	2	900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.43 [0.06, 2.89]
9 Duration of third stage (minutes)	1	65	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.0 [‐3.64, 1.64]
9.1 600 mcg	1	65	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.0 [‐3.64, 1.64]
9.2 400 mcg	0	0	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10 Third stage >= 30 minutes	3	1899	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.00 [0.90, 4.44]
10.1 600 mcg	2	999	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.80 [0.61, 5.34]
10.2 400 mcg	2	900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.25 [0.70, 7.26]
11 Any side‐effect	1	500	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.08 [1.35, 3.20]
11.1 600 mcg	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
11.2 400 mcg	1	500	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.08 [1.35, 3.20]
12 Nausea	4	3741	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.93 [0.52, 1.64]
12.1 600 mcg	4	3343	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.49, 1.58]
12.2 400 mcg	1	398	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.0 [0.12, 73.20]
13 Vomiting	5	4147	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.52, 1.25]
13.1 600 mcg	5	3749	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.51, 1.25]
13.2 400 mcg	1	398	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.0 [0.06, 15.88]
14 Headache	3	2512	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.47 [0.65, 3.32]
14.1 600 mcg	3	2114	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.28 [0.54, 3.03]
14.2 400 mcg	1	398	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	5.0 [0.24, 103.49]
15 Abdominal pain	3		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
15.1 600 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
15.2 400 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
16 Diarrhoea	4	3741	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.10 [0.42, 2.92]
16.1 600 mcg	4	3343	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.10 [0.42, 2.92]
16.2 400 mcg	1	398	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
17 Any shivering	8	6332	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.96 [2.66, 3.31]
17.1 600 mcg	7	5434	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.01 [2.68, 3.39]
17.2 400 mcg	2	898	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.63 [1.90, 3.63]
18 Pyrexia (>= 38 degrees C)	5		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
18.1 600 mcg	5	4140	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	5.39 [3.78, 7.69]
18.2 400 mcg	1	400	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	5.6 [2.21, 14.21]