Parry 1998.

Methods	Randomisation: method not stated. "patients....were randomly allocated...". Blinding: assessments made by an anaesthetist blinded to group allocation and treatment. Criteria for rescue analgesia: not mentioned. No participants were lost to follow‐up and data from all participants were included in analysis.
Participants	Inclusions: ASA 1 or 2 women at term requesting analgesia in the first stage of labour or elective LSCS under regional. Exclusions: pre‐existing neurological impairment or diabetes mellitus. No. lost to follow‐up: 0.
Interventions	Epidural (n = 30): all women were preloaded with 500 to 1000 mL crystalloid prior to epidural insertion while sitting. Initial bolus 15 mL bupivacaine 0.1% with fentanyl 2 µg/mL. CSE (n = 30): fluid preloading as for the epidural group. Single space, needle‐through‐needle, sitting. Intrathecal injection of bupivacaine 2.5 mg + fentanyl 25 µg in a total volume 2.5 mL. Epidural catheter placed for subsequent analgesia (after study period).
Outcomes	'Routine' measurement of maternal and fetal heart rates and maternal blood pressure were performed in all groups. (Hypotension was defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure to < 100 mmHg or of > 20% from baseline.) Assessment of sensory and motor block and dorsal column modalities was performed 20 to 30 min after initial injection. Normal delivery rate was recorded in each group. Assessment was made for spinal headache and neurological complications. LSCS group was analysed as a separate subgroup, enabling comparison of CSE and ED subgroups. Neonatal assessment was by Apgar scores at 5 min.
Notes	UK.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not stated: "patients were randomly allocated".
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not stated.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Outcome assessor blinded.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	No loss to follow‐up.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Primary and secondary outcomes reported.
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias evident.