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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
3,601 questions in 252 reviews · Pregnancy and Childbirth
current versionsNo studies 726 · 20.2%Ungraded 421 · 11.7%Very low 828 · 23%Low 993 · 27.6%Moderate 486 · 13.5%High 147 · 4.1%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Admission cardiotocography vs Intermittent auscultation (low‐risk women) Perinatal mortality rate (fetal and neonatal deaths excluding lethal congenital anomalies) · Low risk pregnant women. All of the women were in labour. Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.01 [0.3, 3.47] | 4 studies · 11339 participants | Moderate |
Admission cardiotocography vs Intermittent auscultation (low‐risk women) Severe neurodevelopmental disability assessed ≥ 12 months of age · Low risk pregnant women. All of the women were in labour. Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment… (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Admission cardiotocography vs Intermittent auscultation (low‐risk women) Incidence of continuous electronic fetal monitoring during labour · Low risk pregnant women. All of the women were in labour. Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.3 [1.14, 1.48] | 3 studies · 10753 participants | Low |
Admission cardiotocography vs Intermittent auscultation (low‐risk women) Incidence and severity of hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (incidence only reported) · Low risk pregnant women. All of the women were in labour. Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.19 [0.37, 3.9] | 1 study · 2367 participants | Very low |
Admission cardiotocography vs Intermittent auscultation (low‐risk women) Incidence of seizures in the neonatal period · Low risk pregnant women. All of the women were in labour. Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.72 [0.32, 1.61] | 1 study · 8056 participants | Low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Maternal infectious morbidity (chorioamnionitis and/or endometritis) · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.49 [0.33, 0.72] | 8 studies · 6864 participants | Low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Caesarean section · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.84 [0.69, 1.04] | 23 studies · 8576 participants | Low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Serious maternal morbidity or mortality (e.g. death, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, admission to intensive care unit) · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 425 participants | Very low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Definite early‐onset neonatal sepsis · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.57 [0.24, 1.33] | 6 studies · 1303 participants | Very low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Definite or probable early‐onset neonatal sepsis · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.73 [0.58, 0.92] | 16 studies · 7314 participants | Low |
Planned early birth vs expectant management Perinatal mortality (stillbirth or neonatal mortality) · women with prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37 weeks' gestation or later) Planned early birth versus expectant management (waiting) for prelabour rupture of membranes at term (37… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.47 [0.13, 1.66] | 8 studies · 6392 participants | Moderate |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Perinatal mortality · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.86 [0.59, 1.24] | 11 studies · 33513 participants | Low |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Neonatal seizures · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.5 [0.31, 0.8] | 9 studies · 32386 participants | Moderate |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Cerebral palsy · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.75 [0.84, 3.63] | 2 studies · 13252 participants | Low |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Caesarean section · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.63 [1.29, 2.07] | 11 studies · 18861 participants | Low |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Instrumental vaginal birth · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.15 [1.01, 1.33] | 10 studies · 18615 participants | Low |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Cord blood acidosis · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.92 [0.27, 3.11] | 2 studies · 2494 participants | Very low |
Continuous CTG vs intermittent auscultation Any pharmacological analgesia · Pregnant women undergoing fetal assessment during labour Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.98 [0.88, 1.09] | 3 studies · 1677 participants | Low |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure No spontaneous vaginal birth within a specified time, as defined by the trial authors · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.96 [0.71, 1.28] | 1 study · 120 participants | Very low |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Low arterial cord pH · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.47 [0.09, 2.55] | 1 study · 461 participants | Low |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Apgar score less than 7 after 5 minutes · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 4.62 [0.22, 95.68] | 1 study · 500 participants | Very low |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Duration of second stage (minutes) · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 253 participants | Very low |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Severe maternal morbidity and death · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Neonatal death · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure Operative birth ‐ Instrumental or caesarean birth · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.66 [0.12, 3.55] | 2 studies · 317 participants | Very low |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure Low arterial cord pH · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.07 [0.72, 1.58] | 2 studies · 297 participants | Very low |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure APGAR score less than 7 at 5 minutes · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 4.48 [0.28, 71.45] | 4 studies · 2759 participants | Very low |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure Duration of active second stage · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 194 participants | Very low |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure Severe maternal morbidity or death · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Manual fundal pressure vs no fundal pressure Neonatal death · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 2445 participants | Very low |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure No spontaneous vaginal birth within a specified time · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Fundal pressure by inflatable belt vs no fundal pressure Operative birth ‐ instrumental or caesarean section · women with singleton pregnancy in vertex position in second stage of labour Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.62 [0.38, 1.01] | 4 studies · 891 participants | Very low |
Intervention NR Perinatal mortality · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.22 [0.86, 1.72] | 2 studies · 2589 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Preterm birth less than 34 weeks' gestation · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.78 [0.62, 0.99] | 3 studies · 1596 participants | High |
Intervention NR Antenatal hospital admissions · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.91 [0.74, 1.11] | 3 studies · 1494 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Preterm birth less than 37 weeks' gestation · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.85 [0.72, 1.01] | 8 studies · 4834 participants | Very low |
Intervention NR Admission to NICU · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.77 [0.62, 0.96] | 5 studies · 2367 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Number of unscheduled antenatal visits · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1994 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Use of tocolysis · women undergoing home monitoring for preventing preterm birth versus women receiving standard care Home uterine monitoring for detecting preterm labour (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.21 [1.01, 1.45] | 7 studies · 4316 participants | Low |
Hands off (or poised) vs hands on Intact perineum · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.03 [0.95, 1.12] | 2 studies · 6547 participants | Moderate |
Warm compresses vs control (hands off or no warm compress) 2nd degree tear · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.95 [0.58, 1.56] | 2 studies · 274 participants | Very low |
Warm compresses vs control (hands off or no warm compress) 3rd or 4th degree tears · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.46 [0.27, 0.79] | 4 studies · 1799 participants | Moderate |
Warm compresses vs control (hands off or no warm compress) Episiotomy · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.86 [0.6, 1.23] | 4 studies · 1799 participants | Low |
Massage vs control (hands off or care Intact perineum · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.74 [1.11, 2.73] | 6 studies · 2618 participants | Low |
Massage vs control (hands off or care Perineal trauma requiring suturing · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.1 [0.75, 1.61] | 1 study · 76 participants | Very low |
Massage vs control (hands off or care 1st degree perineal tear · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.55 [0.79, 3.05] | 5 studies · 537 participants | Very low |
Massage vs control (hands off or care 2nd degree perineal tear · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.08 [0.55, 2.12] | 5 studies · 537 participants | Very low |
Massage vs control (hands off or care 3rd or 4th degree tears · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.49 [0.25, 0.94] | 5 studies · 2477 participants | Moderate |
Massage vs control (hands off or care Episiotomy · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.55 [0.29, 1.03] | 7 studies · 2684 participants | Very low |
Ritgen's manoeuvre vs standard care Intact perineum · pregnant women expecting a vaginal birth, singleton vertex presentation at term, with no medical complications Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.17 [0.02, 1.31] | 1 study · 66 participants | Very low |