Comparison 5. Oral misoprostol versus injectable uterotonics (subgroups by dose).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Maternal death	4	20199	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.14, 7.10]
1.1 800 mcg	1	450	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
1.2 600 mcg	2	18829	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.14, 7.10]
1.3 400 mcg	2	920	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
2 Severe postpartum haemorrhage (>= 1000 mL)	17	29797	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.33 [1.16, 1.52]
2.1 800 mcg	1	450	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
2.2 600 mcg	6	21977	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.36 [1.17, 1.58]
2.3 500 mcg	2	1040	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.43, 1.98]
2.4 400 mcg	9	6330	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.25 [0.89, 1.75]
3 Postpartum haemorrhage (>= 500 mL)	17		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 800 mcg	1	450	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.09 [0.01, 1.63]
3.2 600 mcg	7	22164	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.43 [1.34, 1.52]
3.3 500 mcg	2	1040	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.08 [0.82, 1.41]
3.4 400 mcg	8	5496	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.13 [0.94, 1.34]
4 Blood loss (mL)	10		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
4.1 800 mcg	1	53	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐29.0 [‐158.67, 100.67]
4.2 600 mcg	3	20897	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	42.14 [35.44, 48.84]
4.3 400 mcg	7	4537	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐7.54 [‐16.16, 1.08]
5 Use of additional uterotonics	17		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
5.1 800 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.2 600 mcg	6		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.3 500 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.4 400 mcg	8		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6 Blood transfusion	15	28213	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.84 [0.66, 1.06]
6.1 800 mcg	1	443	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.50 [0.05, 5.45]
6.2 600 mcg	5	21600	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.59, 1.02]
6.3 500 mcg	2	1040	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.81 [0.34, 1.95]
6.4 400 mcg	8	5130	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.69, 1.91]
7 Postpartum haemoglobin	2	805	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.05 [‐0.18, 0.28]
7.1 800 mcg	1	450	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.10 [‐0.23, 0.43]
7.2 400 mcg	1	355	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.33, 0.33]
8 Haematocrit drop 10% or more	1	585	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.09 [0.47, 2.52]
8.1 400 mcg	1	585	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.09 [0.47, 2.52]
9 Haemoglobin drop 30 mg/L or more	1	585	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.69, 1.88]
9.1 400 mcg	1	585	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.69, 1.88]
10 Manual removal of placenta	15	26765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.82, 1.12]
10.1 800 mcg	1	450	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10.2 600 mcg	6	21806	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.81, 1.16]
10.3 500 mcg	1	1000	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.34, 1.57]
10.4 400 mcg	8	3509	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.71, 1.41]
11 Duration of third stage (minutes)	6	22690	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.22, 0.66]
11.1 600 mcg	2	18811	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.19 [‐0.21, 0.58]
11.2 400 mcg	5	3879	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.56 [0.29, 0.82]
12 Third stage >= 30 minutes	8	5580	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.93 [0.62, 1.42]
12.1 600 mcg	4	2954	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.01 [0.53, 1.89]
12.2 500 mcg	1	1000	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.44, 1.95]
12.3 400 mcg	3	1626	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.83 [0.36, 1.90]
13 Any side‐effect	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
13.1 600 mcg	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
13.2 500 mcg	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
13.3 400 mcg	1	499	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.43 [1.16, 1.77]
14 Nausea	14		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
14.1 800 mcg	2	498	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.10, 1.94]
14.2 600 mcg	6	21793	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.12 [0.90, 1.41]
14.3 500 mcg	1	846	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.71 [0.59, 0.85]
14.4 400 mcg	6	3774	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.72 [0.48, 1.07]
15 Vomiting	16		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
15.1 800 mcg	1	445	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.25 [0.03, 2.25]
15.2 600 mcg	7	22175	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.24 [0.97, 1.58]
15.3 500 mcg	1	846	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.70, 1.23]
15.4 400 mcg	8	5439	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.56 [0.37, 0.86]
16 Diarrhoea	13	27011	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.83 [1.34, 2.50]
16.1 800 mcg	1	439	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	10.85 [0.60, 195.06]
16.2 600 mcg	5	20326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.52 [1.60, 3.98]
16.3 500 mcg	1	846	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.09 [0.55, 2.19]
16.4 400 mcg	8	5400	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.21 [0.67, 2.22]
17 Headache	6		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
17.1 800 mcg	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
17.2 600 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
17.3 500 mcg	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
17.4 400 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
18 Any shivering	19		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
18.1 800 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
18.2 600 mcg	7		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
18.3 500 mcg	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
18.4 400 mcg	9		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
19 Severe shivering	5	20823	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	7.24 [4.74, 11.08]
19.1 600 mcg	3	19038	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	7.28 [4.71, 11.24]
19.2 500 mcg	1	40	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	9.0 [0.52, 156.91]
19.3 400 mcg	2	1745	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	4.23 [0.20, 87.88]
20 Pyrexia (>= 38 degrees C)	12		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
20.1 600 mcg	7	22137	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	6.77 [5.55, 8.27]
20.2 500 mcg	1	40	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
20.3 400 mcg	5	2642	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	6.68 [3.74, 11.93]