Bishop Score Calculator (Modified, for Induction)

The Bishop score rates how ready (or “favourable”) the cervix is before an induction of labour. It was introduced by Dr Edward Bishop in 1964 and remains the standard bedside way to decide whether a cervix can be induced directly or should be ripened first. Five findings from the vaginal examination are each scored and added together, with no weighting:

• Dilation (cervical opening): closed (0) / 1–2 cm (1) / 3–4 cm (2) / ≥ 5 cm (3).
• Effacement (cervical thinning): 0–30 % (0) / 40–50 % (1) / 60–70 % (2) / ≥ 80 % (3).
• Station (fetal head level, −3 to +3): −3 (0) / −2 (1) / −1 or 0 (2) / +1 or +2 (3).
• Consistency (cervical firmness): firm (0) / medium (1) / soft (2).
• Position (of the cervix): posterior (0) / mid (1) / anterior (2).

The total is Bishop = dilation + effacement + station + consistency + position, ranging from 0 to 13 (the maximum is 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2). There is no arithmetic beyond adding the five points — so this tool cross-checks every result through a second independent code path and only shows the score once the two agree.

Each total maps to a favourability band drawn from ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107:

• Favourable (8–13) — a ripe cervix. A score above 8 gives a chance of vaginal delivery similar to spontaneous labour; oxytocin, with or without amniotomy, is generally appropriate.
• Borderline (7) — between the two cut-offs. Parity, the reason for induction and local protocol guide whether to ripen first or proceed.
• Unfavourable (0–6) — cervical ripening (a prostaglandin agent or a Foley/balloon catheter) is generally considered before oxytocin.

A note on station: this calculator uses the classic Bishop −3 to +3 convention, where 0 is level with the ischial spines. Many delivery units chart descent on a −5 to +5 scale, but the Bishop score itself uses the −3 to +3 bands. The cut-offs here are guidance — some services use ≤5 or ≥9 thresholds, and the number is one input to a clinical decision, not the decision itself. It predicts cervical readiness, not the final mode of delivery.

• Bishop EH. Pelvic scoring for elective induction. Obstet Gynecol. 1964;24:266–268 (original five-component scoring table)
• ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of Labor (favourable/unfavourable cut-offs)
• StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). Bishop Score (modified table and station convention)

The component anchors and favourability cut-offs on this page were last cross-checked against these sources on 2026-07-18. This tool is for education and reference only; it is a scoring aid, does not provide medical advice, and does not replace clinical assessment or a local induction-of-labour protocol.