Chanrachkul 2003.

Study characteristics
Methods	RCT
Participants	Number of women randomised: 249 Setting: Bangkok, Thailand Study date: study conducted October 1998 to May 2000 Inclusion criteria Low risk No obstetric or medical complication GA: 280 to 287 days screened for eligibility; 413 weeks (290 days at enrolment and induction) ~70% women nulliparous Exclusion criteria No additional criteria State of cervix: favourable (Bishop score 6 or more)
Interventions	Induction group (n = 124): AROM + oxytocin (if uterine contractions inadequate after 2 hours); versus EM group (n = 125): spontaneous labour awaited unless 1) non‐reactive NST or 2) amniotic fluid index < 5 cm or 3) medical or obstetric indication for birth or 4) reaching 44 completed weeks.
Outcomes	Mother: prolonged labour; modes of birth and their indications; death; postpartum haemorrhage Baby: perinatal death, birthweight; birth asphyxia, NICU admission, birthweight > 4000 g; Apgar < 7 at 5 minutes
Notes	Funding: Ramathibodi Hospital Research Grant 2/2542 Declarations of interest: not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Randomisation was carried out using computer‐generated numbers.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	The method of allocation concealment was not reported.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Blinding was not feasible.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Blinded outcome assessment was not mentioned.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	1 woman (in IOL group) excluded after randomisation because of misclassification (breech presentation). No apparent losses to follow‐up
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	While prespecified outcomes (in the methods) were reported, no access to trial protocol to further assess selective reporting.
Other bias	Low risk	Appeared to be free of other bias