Methods	Randomised trial.
Participants	107 women attending a hospital in Brazil (2005-6). Inclusion criteria - low-risk nulliparous women, at term, in labour, aged 16-40 years. Cervical dilation between 3cm and 5cm. Singleton fetus in cephalic presentation Exclusion criteria - contraindications to upright position or booked for elective caesarean section
Interventions	Intervention group - (n = 54) women received written information/education involving the use of models on the benefits of maintaining an upright position and encouraged to stand, walk, sit, crouch or kneel. If women remained supine for more than 30 minutes they were encouraged to return to an upright position Comparison group - (n = 53) routine care, women were not encouraged to adopt any position and were allowed to move around and adopt any position they chose
Outcomes	Mode of delivery, duration of labour, augmentation, episiotomy, Apgar score, maternal preferences
Notes	Women in the intervention group remained upright for 57% of the time compared to 28% for women in the comparison group
Risk of bias
Item	Authors’ judgement	Description
Adequate sequence generation?	Yes	Computer generated.
Allocation concealment?	Yes	Sealed, opaque envelopes opened sequentially.
Blinding? Women	No	Not feasible.
Blinding? Clinical staff	No
Blinding? Outcome assessor	No
Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes	Yes	Few women lost to follow up.