| Methods |
A quasi‐random study (see below), women were enrolled in labour on arrival at hospital. |
| Participants |
114 nulliparous and multiparous women (56 allocated to the birth room and 58 to conventional care), at low risk for obstetric complications. |
| Interventions |
Intrapartum care in a alternative birth room was compared to standard care in an adjacent labour ward in a tertiary care hospital in Montreal, Canada. The same medical and nursing staff provided care in both settings. |
| Outcomes |
Oxytocin augmentation of labour, epidural analgesia, forceps delivery, episiotomy, perineal trauma, caesarean delivery, 1‐minute Apgar score < 7, admission to special care nursery. |
| Notes |
In the experimental group, transfer from the birth room for labour or delivery occurred in 39 of 62 (63%) primiparas and 11 of 59 (19%) multiparas. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
High risk |
"Strict alternation". Only 1 alternative birth room was available. When an eligible woman arrived, if the room was available, the nurse telephoned the trial coordinator, who gave out the next allocation. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Centrally controlled but not randomized. Because of shift changes and low numbers of women enrolled, the authors felt the staff could not predict the next treatment allocation. But without randomization it was possible. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Data collection was carried out by a research assistant, who was present during active labour and thus knew study group. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Medical record outcomes were reported for all those originally enrolled in the study. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
High risk |
In‐hospital postpartum questionnaire data were not reported. |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
No other evidence of bias. |
