Pregnant women experience early labour with different physical and emotional symptoms. Early admission to hospital has been found to be associated with increased intervention and caesarean section rates. However, primiparous women often contact the hospital before labour progresses because they encounter difficulties coping with symptoms of onset of labour on their own. An evidence-based instrument for assessing the individual needs to advise primiparous women during early labour is currently missing. The study aims to develop and validate a tool to inform the joint decision for or against hospital admission.