Though meta-analysis and RCTs are viewed as the highest level in the hierarchy of evidence, the information they were able to provide in this review about what behaviours women experience as being most supportive in labour was limited. The Cochrane systematic review and Lavender et al’s RCT (1999) highlighted professional support as a central element of women’s views about labour, that continuous support is more positively evaluated by women than intermittent support, and that a higher quantity of supportive behaviours is valued. However, neither provided more detailed evidence about the optimal content of support. It was, therefore, necessary to explore non-randomised research studies.