WHO 1999.

Methods	Random allocation sequence, generated centrally. Sealed and numbered identical treatment packs taken consecutively from a dispenser. Double‐blinded, placebo controlled pilot trial.
Participants	597 women after delivery in Khon Kaen, Thailand and Johannesburg, South Africa. Risk status not stated. Exclusion criteria: asthma, other severe chronic allergic condition, if delivery considered an abortion, planned caesarean section, not willing or able to give informed consent.
Interventions	Misoprostol 600 mcg orally vs misoprostol 400 mcg orally vs oxytocin 10 IU IV.
Outcomes	Shivering, pyrexia, side‐effects, blood loss from delivery to transferal of mother to postnatal care. Measurement of blood loss: collected blood poured in standard measuring jar. Linen not weighed. Small gauze swabs soaked with blood put into measuring jar and included in measurement.
Notes	Management of third stage: uterotonics, clamping and cutting of cord immediately after delivery, fundal or suprapubic pressure with cord traction after signs of placental separation.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Random allocation sequence, generated centrally.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Sealed and numbered identical treatment packs taken consecutively from a dispenser.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Double blinded using double placebos.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Exclusion after randomisation: 8 women in the oxytocin group did not comply with treatment (6 had an emergency caesarean section, 1 was HIV positive and mistakenly excluded, 1 whose ampoule was not located). 1 woman in the 600 mcg group was excluded because her tablets could not be located, and 1 woman in the 400 mcg group was excluded because of an emergency caesarean section.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Primary outcomes of the review were reported.
Other bias	Low risk	The groups were comparable at the trial entry and at delivery except for low birthweight, which was higher in the misoprostol 600 mch group.