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Bishop Score Calculator

Health

Calculate the Bishop Score to assess cervical readiness for labor induction from dilation, effacement, station, consistency, and position. Educational use only.

Cervical Dilation
Effacement
Fetal Station
Cervical Consistency
Cervical Position

Bishop Score

0/ 13

Induction Favorability

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Not a substitute for clinical judgment. This is a general educational estimate only. Every decision about inducing labor, cervical ripening agents, or mode of delivery must be made together with your obstetrician, based on a real physical exam and your full clinical picture.

What is a Bishop Score?

A Bishop Score Calculator totals the five components of the Bishop Score — cervical dilation, effacement, station, consistency, and position — into a single score from 0 to 13 that reflects how ready the cervix is for labor induction. Originally published by Dr. Edward Bishop in 1964, this scoring system remains one of the most widely used tools in obstetrics for guiding induction decisions.

This is educational information only, not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for your obstetrician's clinical judgment. The Bishop Score depends entirely on an accurate physical cervical exam performed by a trained provider — this calculator simply adds up the numbers once those exam findings are known. Every decision about whether, when, and how to induce labor must be made by your care team based on your complete clinical picture, including your medical history, the reason induction is being considered, and real-time fetal monitoring — never from a score alone.

Generally, a total score of 8 or higher is considered favorable, correlating with induction success rates similar to spontaneous labor. A score below 6 is generally considered unfavorable, and providers often consider cervical ripening methods first to improve the odds of a successful vaginal delivery.

How to use this Bishop Score calculator

  1. Select your Cervical Dilation value from the dropdown, based on your provider's exam findings in centimeters.

  2. Select your Effacement percentage — how thinned the cervix has become.

  3. Select your Fetal Station — how far the baby's head has descended relative to the ischial spines.

  4. Select your Cervical Consistency — firm, medium, or soft.

  5. Select your Cervical Position — posterior, mid-position, or anterior.

  6. Read your total Bishop Score — the large number in the result card — and the associated favorability category beneath it.

  7. Discuss your result with your obstetric provider, who will weigh it alongside your full medical history and the reason induction is being considered.

  8. Track changes over multiple exams if cervical ripening is underway, re-running the calculator as new exam findings become available to follow your cervix's progress toward a more favorable score.

Formula & Methodology

Bishop Score Components

| Factor | 0 pts | 1 pt | 2 pts | 3 pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilation | Closed | 1-2 cm | 3-4 cm | ≥5 cm |
| Effacement | 0-30% | 40-50% | 60-70% | ≥80% |
| Station | -3 | -2 | -1 / 0 | +1 / +2 |
| Consistency | Firm | Medium | Soft | — |
| Position | Posterior | Mid-position | Anterior | — |

Total Score
Bishop Score = Dilation + Effacement + Station + Consistency + Position   (range: 0-13)

Interpretation
Score ≥ 8   → Favorable — high likelihood of successful induction Score 6-7   → Intermediate — induction may succeed, ripening sometimes considered Score < 6   → Unfavorable — cervical ripening agents often considered first

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Worked Example:

An obstetric exam finds: dilation 3 cm, effacement 50%, station -1, consistency medium, position anterior.

| Factor | Finding | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Dilation | 3 cm | 2 |
| Effacement | 50% | 1 |
| Station | -1 | 2 |
| Consistency | Medium | 1 |
| Position | Anterior | 2 |

Total = 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 8

Score of 8 → Favorable — high likelihood of successful induction

With a favorable score, this patient's care team may proceed with induction using standard protocols. Her provider may also reference her estimated due date using the EDD Calculator or Pregnancy Due Date Calculator when discussing the timing and indication for induction.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bishop Score is a clinical scoring system used by obstetric providers to assess how ready the cervix is for labor induction. It combines five cervical and fetal factors into a single score from 0 to 13, which helps guide decisions about whether induction is likely to succeed with the current cervical state or whether cervical ripening should be considered first.
No, and this is important: the Bishop Score requires a physical cervical exam performed by a trained clinician to determine dilation, effacement, station, consistency, and position accurately. This calculator only totals the score once those values are known — it cannot perform the exam itself, and every induction decision must be made by your obstetric provider based on your complete clinical picture, not this tool alone.
Dilation measures how open the cervix is in centimeters; effacement measures how thinned out the cervix has become as a percentage; station measures how far the baby's head has descended into the pelvis relative to the ischial spines; consistency measures how firm or soft the cervix feels; and position measures whether the cervix is angled posteriorly, mid-position, or anteriorly. Each factor is scored on its own point scale and the five scores are summed.
A score of 8 or higher generally indicates a favorable cervix, meaning induction is likely to succeed at rates similar to spontaneous labor. This is a general educational threshold drawn from decades of obstetric research and does not account for every individual clinical factor your provider may be weighing.
A score below 6 generally indicates an unfavorable cervix, where induction success rates are lower and providers often consider cervical ripening agents (such as prostaglandins or a mechanical dilator) before starting or alongside oxytocin induction. A low score does not mean induction is impossible — it means additional preparation may improve the odds of a vaginal delivery.
This reflects the original 1964 Bishop scoring system as published by Dr. Edward Bishop: dilation, effacement, and station are each scored 0-3, while consistency and position are each scored 0-2, giving a maximum possible total of 13 points. This asymmetry has remained standard in obstetric practice for decades.
The Bishop Score correlates with the likelihood of successful vaginal delivery after induction, and a lower score is associated with a somewhat higher chance of needing a cesarean if induction is attempted. However, it is only one factor among many your obstetric team considers — including your medical history, the reason for induction, and fetal wellbeing — and should never be used alone to predict a delivery outcome.
Yes, several modified versions exist that incorporate factors like maternal parity, gestational age, or a history of prior cesarean delivery, since these can influence induction success independently of the cervical exam. This calculator implements the original five-factor scoring system, which remains the most widely taught and referenced version.
The Bishop Score is designed for singleton pregnancies being considered for labor induction and is not intended for use in emergency situations requiring immediate delivery, nor as a general pregnancy wellness check. Always confirm with your provider whether it applies to your specific clinical situation.
Select the value your obstetric provider recorded for each of the five factors — dilation, effacement, station, consistency, and position — from the dropdown menus. The calculator instantly totals your score out of 13 and shows the associated induction favorability category.
No. All calculations happen entirely within your browser. None of the values you select are transmitted to or stored on any server, and everything is cleared when you close the page.
Also known as
cervical readiness scorelabor induction score calculatorcervix ripening scoreBishop Pelvic Scoreinduction favorability calculator