| Methods |
Method of random allocation not stated. Sealed opaque envelopes used for allocation concealment. Interventions prepared by someone not involved in the study, outside the intervention area (operating theatre). Outcome assessments were blinded. |
| Participants |
60 low‐risk women undergoing elective caesarean section in an academic hospital in Oxford, UK.
Exclusion criteria: hypertensive disease, asthma, heart disease. |
| Interventions |
Prostaglandin group: 15‐methyl prostaglandin F2alpha, 125 mcg intramyometrial + placebo.
Oxytocin group: 5 IU oxytocin IV bolus injection followed by 15 IU in 500 mL of Ringer's lactate solution + placebo. Both interventions were started after delivery of the baby but before delivery of the placenta. |
| Outcomes |
Blood loss, use of additional uterotonics, blood transfusion, side‐effects, change in haemoglobin (subset of patients).
Measurement of blood loss: clinical estimation. |
| Notes |
Management of third stage: not applicable. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Unclear if the sequence generation was adequate. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Sealed opaque envelopes used for allocation concealment. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Double‐blinded. Outcome assessments were blinded. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
No losses to follow‐up or postrandomisation exclusions reported. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not all of the primary outcomes of the review were reported. |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
The groups were comparable. |
