Evaluation of the meta-analyses on the effects, on both mother and baby, of the various components of 'active' management of the third stage of labour.

In their comprehensive review of controlled trials, Prendiville and Elbourne (1989) used the technique of meta-analysis to study the effects, on both mother and baby, of various aspects of third stage management, acknowledging some of the shortcomings of the trials used. This paper questions some of the conclusions which these authors drew and, drawing on other evidence (some of which has been published since the review), puts forward alternative interpretations of some of the meta-analyses. Reference is also made to the updated meta-analyses in the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database (Elbourne, 1994a-h). In addition, this paper examines the extent to which the findings of the Bristol and Dublin third stage trials (Prendiville et al, 1988; Begley, 1990) add to our understanding of what is effective care during the third stage of labour.