title: Identification and description of controlled clinical trials published in Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics journals and risk of bias assessment of trials on assisted reproductive techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and describe controlled clinical trials (CCTs) published in Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics journals. In addition, to assess the quality of the CCTs on Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) identified in this project.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to identify eligible CCTs, all Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics journals were handsearched. Handsearching was conducted following the guidelines provided by the Cochrane Collaboration, which state that each journal article must be carefully reviewed, including original articles and other types of studies, letters to the editor, abstracts, and conference presentations. The results of the handsearching process were compared with an electronic search conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed). A descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of the identified CCTs was performed, as well as a methodological assessment of CCTs on ART.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen Gynaecology and Obstetrics journals were identified, four of which have been indexed in MEDLINE at some point, although not currently. The journal with the most CCTs was "Progresos de Obstetricia y Ginecología". A total of 235 CCTs were published in these journals, of which 29 were on ART. Most CCTs (216, 91.9%) were carried out in a hospital setting; 201 (89.4%) were unicentric. Obstetrics was the most studied subspecialty (46.4%). Among CCTs on ART, the risk of bias was predominantly high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of CCTs published in Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics journals is limited. CCTs on ART present deficiencies in the report of results and low methodological quality. It is advised that authors and journals adhere to the CONSORT statement and to the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations to reduce risk of bias when designing and disseminating research projects.
authors.affiliation: Vitarte Hospital, Health Ministry, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Rosa B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gutarra-Vilchez
authors.affiliation: Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: hpardo@santpau.cat.
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pardo-Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Hospital San José/Hospital Infantil de San José, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arévalo-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Hospital San José/Hospital Infantil de San José, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buitrago
authors.affiliation: Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bonfill
mesh_terms: D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D013030:Spain
keywords: Assisted Reproduction Techniques; Controlled clinical trials; Evidence-Based Medicine; Gynaecology and Obstetrics