Evidence-based medicine: study design for evaluation of treatment

Obstetrician-gynecologists frequently rely on results of published studies to guide decisions regarding clinical management of their patients; that is, to practice evidence-based medicine. Therefore, it is essential that these studies be carried out meticulously. One of the first tasks in performing research is to select an appropriate study design. The principal designs are survey, which is a descriptive method; observational, which generates hypotheses; and experimental, which tests hypotheses, and is commonly called a randomized, clinical trial. Each one has advantages and limitations that must be considered carefully to achieve the most applicable effective results.