Cochrane Review Group

Pregnancy and Childbirth

252 systematic reviews in Pregnancy and Childbirth ask 3,601 questions. 20.2% have no studies to answer them, 23% rest on very low certainty evidence and 17.6% reach moderate or high certainty.

Reviews

252

Questions

3,601

current versions

No studies

20.2%

Moderate or high

17.6%

No 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.

Search questions in Pregnancy and Childbirth

Thinnest evidence

All no studies and very low questions

Question	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Magnesium sulphate vs placebo (outcomes Major neurodevelopmental disability (school age)** · women at risk of preterm birth (< 34 weeks' gestation) Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus (2024) · Cochrane	RR 0.92 [0.53, 1.62]	2 studies · 940 participants	Very low
Magnesium sulphate vs placebo (outcomes Breastfeeding at hospital discharge** · women at risk of preterm birth (< 34 weeks' gestation) Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus (2024) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	NR	No studies
Magnesium sulphate vs placebo (outcomes Women’s views of treatment** · women at risk of preterm birth (< 34 weeks' gestation) Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus (2024) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	NR	No studies
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity models vs other models of care Third or fourth degree tear · childbearing women and their infants (all) (important/secondary outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 1.1 [0.81, 1.49]	7 studies · 9437 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity models vs other models of care Maternal readmission within 28 days · childbearing women and their infants (all) (important/secondary outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 1.52 [0.78, 2.96]	1 study · 1195 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity models vs other models of care Attendance at birth by known midwife · childbearing women and their infants (all) (important/secondary outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 9.13 [5.87, 14.21]	11 studies · 9273 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity models vs other models of care Apgar score less than or equal to 7 at 5 minutes · childbearing women and their infants (all) (important/secondary outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 0.95 [0.72, 1.24]	13 studies · 12806 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity models vs other models of care Fetal loss before 24 weeks gestation · childbearing women and their infants (all) (important/secondary outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 0.82 [0.67, 1.01]	12 studies · 15913 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity of care models vs other models of care Regional analgesia (epidural/spinal) · childbearing women and their infants (all) (critical outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 0.85 [0.79, 0.92]	15 studies · 17754 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity of care models vs other models of care Fetal loss at or after 24 weeks gestation · childbearing women and their infants (all) (critical outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 1.24 [0.73, 2.13]	12 studies · 16122 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Midwife continuity of care models vs other models of care Neonatal death (baby born alive at any gestation and dies within 28 days) · childbearing women and their infants (all) (critical outcomes) Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women (2024) · Cochrane	RR 0.85 [0.43, 1.71]	10 studies · 14718 participants	Very low
Summary of findings table ‐ Vitamin B12 supplementation vs placebo/no vitamin B12 supplementation Maternal anaemia · pregnant women Vitamin B12 supplementation during pregnancy for maternal and child health outcomes (2024) · Cochrane	RR 1.08 [0.93, 1.26]	2 studies · 284 participants	Very low

Reviews 252

Antibiotic prophylaxis for episiotomy repair following vaginal birth

Bonet, M, Ota, E, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2017

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Thinnest evidence

Reviews 252

Antibiotic prophylaxis for episiotomy repair following vaginal birth

Routine antibiotic prophylaxis after normal vaginal birth for reducing maternal infectious morbidity

Exercise for pregnant women with gestational diabetes for improving maternal and fetal outcomes

Interventions for promoting the initiation of breastfeeding

Early skin‐to‐skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants

Vitamin supplementation for preventing miscarriage

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion versus multiple daily injections of insulin for pregnant women with diabetes

Vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women

Antenatal breastfeeding education for increasing breastfeeding duration

Early additional food and fluids for healthy breastfed full‐term infants

Rooming‐in for new mother and infant versus separate care for increasing the duration of breastfeeding

Nitric oxide donors for cervical ripening and induction of labour

Effect of restricted pacifier use in breastfeeding term infants for increasing duration of breastfeeding

Different intensities of glycaemic control for pregnant women with pre‐existing diabetes

Dopamine agonists for preventing future miscarriage in women with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia and recurrent miscarriage history

Immediate versus deferred delivery of the preterm baby with suspected fetal compromise for improving outcomes

Hypnosis for pain management during labour and childbirth

Sealing procedures for preterm prelabour rupture of membranes

Prophylactic versus selective blood transfusion for sickle cell disease in pregnancy

Interventions for treating hyperemesis gravidarum

Breastfeeding or nipple stimulation for reducing postpartum haemorrhage in the third stage of labour

Oxytocin for preventing postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in non‐facility birth settings

Chewing gum for enhancing early recovery of bowel function after caesarean section

Amnioinfusion for chorioamnionitis

Routes of administration of antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing infection after caesarean section