ToolsCalculators
Modified Bishop Score for Vaginal Delivery and Induction of Labor
Cervical favourability and likelihood of successful labor induction.
Modified Bishop Score for Vaginal Delivery and Induction of Labor
Cervical dilation
Digital cervical exam, in centimetres.
Cervical effacement
Estimated as a percentage of the uneffaced cervical length.
Fetal station
Relative to the ischial spines.
Cervical consistency
Cervical position
Result0 / 13 points
Unfavourable cervix. Higher risk of failed induction and cesarean delivery; cervical ripening should be considered before oxytocin induction.
- Total score
- 0 / 13
When to use
- Assessing cervical favourability before elective or medically indicated induction of labor.
- Estimating the likelihood of a successful vaginal delivery and the need for cervical ripening agents.
Formula
Sum of 5 components from digital cervical exam: dilation (0-3), effacement (0-3), station (0-3), consistency (0-2), position (0-2). Total range 0-13; higher scores indicate a more favourable cervix. (The modified score uses a station scale of -3 to +2, versus 0 to +3 in the original 1964 report.)
Pearls and pitfalls
- A score of >=8 predicts a likelihood of vaginal delivery after induction similar to spontaneous labor.
- Low scores (<=6) are the threshold most commonly used in trials of pre-induction cervical ripening (e.g. prostaglandins, mechanical dilators).