Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

39 questions · 39 findings · 12 reviews

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No studies found 2 · 5.1%GRADE not reported 0 · 0%Very low 5 · 12.8%Low 14 · 35.9%Moderate 15 · 38.5%High 3 · 7.7%

Labour induction vs expectant management

Caesarean section · pregnant women at or beyond 37 weeks gestation

Labour induction probably leads to lower caesarean section compared with expectant management (maternal outcomes) (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Induction of labour at or beyond 37 weeks' gestation 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.9 [0.85, 0.95]
31 studies · 21030 participants
Moderate

Labour induction vs expectant management

Caesarean section · women with term or near term (> 37 weeks' gestation) with suspected fetal macrosomia

Induction of labour showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with expectant management (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Induction of labour at or near term for suspected fetal macrosomia 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.91 [0.76, 1.09]
4 studies · 1190 participants
Moderate

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) vs low‐dose vaginal misoprostol

Caesarean section · third trimester induction of labour in women with a viable fetus

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) may leads to higher caesarean section compared with low‐dose vaginal misoprostol (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Mechanical methods for induction of labour 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.28 [1.02, 1.6]
12 studies · 1756 participants
Low

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) vs low‐dose oral misoprostol

Caesarean section · third trimester induction of labour in women with a viable fetus

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) probably leads to higher caesarean section compared with low‐dose oral misoprostol (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Mechanical methods for induction of labour 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.17 [1.04, 1.32]
7 studies · 3178 participants
Moderate

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) vs vaginal prostaglandin E2

Caesarean section · third trimester induction of labour in women with a viable fetus

Balloon (Foley or ATAD) showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with vaginal prostaglandin E2 (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Mechanical methods for induction of labour 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1 [0.92, 1.09]
28 studies · 6619 participants
Moderate

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Oral misoprostol showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with vaginal misoprostol (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1 [0.86, 1.16]
32 studies · 5914 participants
Low

Oral misoprostol vs placebo/no treatment

Caesarean section · women with ruptured membranes in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Oral misoprostol showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with placebo/no treatment (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.81 [0.59, 1.11]
4 studies · 594 participants
Low

Oral misoprostol vs intravenous (IV) oxytocin

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Oral misoprostol probably leads to lower caesarean section compared with intravenous oxytocin (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.67 [0.5, 0.9]
6 studies · 737 participants
Moderate

Oral misoprostol vs mechanical methods

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Oral misoprostol may leads to lower caesarean section compared with mechanical methods (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.84 [0.75, 0.95]
6 studies · 2993 participants
Low

Oral misoprostol one‐ to two‐hourly vs oral misoprostol four‐ to six‐hourly

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour with intact membranes

It is very uncertain whether oral misoprostol one‐ to two‐hourly changes caesarean section compared with oral misoprostol four‐ to six‐hourly (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.31 [0.77, 2.22]
1 study · 64 participants
Very low

Oral misoprostol 20 µg hourly titrated vs oral misoprostol 25 µg two‐hourly static

Caesarean section · induction of labour.

It is very uncertain whether oral misoprostol 20 µg hourly titrated changes caesarean section compared with oral misoprostol 25 µg two‐hourly static (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.66 [0.63, 4.32]
2 studies · 296 participants
Very low

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal dinoprostone

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Oral misoprostol probably leads to lower caesarean section compared with vaginal dinoprostone (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Low‐dose oral misoprostol for induction of labour 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.84 [0.78, 0.9]
13 studies · 9676 participants
Moderate

Acupuncture vs sweeping of fetal membranes

Caesarean section · induction of labour.

Acupuncture showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with sweeping of fetal membranes (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.64 [0.34, 1.22]
1 study · 207 participants
Moderate

Acupressure vs sham control

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Acupressure showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with sham control (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.94 [0.68, 1.3]
2 studies · 239 participants
Moderate

Acupressure vs usual care

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Acupressure showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with usual care (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.02 [0.68, 1.53]
2 studies · 151 participants
Moderate

Acupuncture vs sham control

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Acupuncture showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with sham control (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.8 [0.56, 1.15]
8 studies · 789 participants
High

Acupuncture vs usual care

Caesarean section · women in the third trimester for induction of labour.

Acupuncture showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with usual care (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.77 [0.51, 1.17]
8 studies · 760 participants
Low

Intracervical PGE₂ vs placebo

Caesarean section · women requiring induction of labour

Intracervical PGE₂ showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological and mechanical interventions for labour induction in outpatient settings 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.9 [0.72, 1.12]
7 studies · 674 participants
Moderate

Vaginal misoprostol vs placebo

Caesarean section · women requiring induction of labour

Vaginal misoprostol showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with placebo (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological and mechanical interventions for labour induction in outpatient settings 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.94 [0.61, 1.46]
4 studies · 325 participants
Low

Vaginal PGE₂ vs placebo or expectant management

Caesarean section · patients with induction of labour at term

Vaginal PGE₂ showed no clear difference in caesarean section compared with placebo or expectant management (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological and mechanical interventions for labour induction in outpatient settings 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.8 [0.49, 1.31]
4 studies · 288 participants
Low