Simple Math: The Bishop Score and Optimal Induction

While it is largely used in determining the effectiveness of induction, knowing your Bishop Score can help you determine how ready your body is to have your baby. This can be beneficial information when you are presented with the option to induce your labor.

No matter the method of induction that is being suggested, knowing your Bishop Score can help you gather the information you need to make an informed decision about how helpful induction methods will be. It is also important to note, that while some induction methods may not be intended to start labor, they may help your body to prepare the cervix in another way so that the Bishop Score would in turn be increased. Determining your bishops score is fairly easy. You can speak with your care provider to find out the information they are already gathering about your body. Then you can ask what your Bishop Score is, or better yet, you can find out the individual values and add them up for yourself.  You can see the bishop score table at the bottom of this post.

The Bishop Score is a table of values based on (I have added some pictures to demonstrate the general idea of what providers are talking about when they use these terms, but these numbers SHOULD be determined by a care provider, and not by yourself):

*Consistency of your cervix (firm, moderately firm, or soft).
Firm may feel like the tip of your nose....

(Image from:www.artisticrealism.com)

Soft may feel like a piece of chewed gum....

(Image from: http://www.soimmature.com/sub_pages/all_thumb_subs/page_gum.html

*Position (towards your back-- typical in early pregnancy, in mid position or towards your front-- typical in late pregnancy or early labor) of your cervix.

**Believe it or not, this is the BEST picture that I could find on the Internet, which obviously does not clearly show the anterior or forward facing cervix, but you get a general idea.
(Image from: http://www.glowm.com/resources/glowm/graphics/figures/v1/0390/012f.gif)


*Dilation (closed, or open up to 5 or more centimeters).

Image from (https://www.birthinternational.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/135x135/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/b/e/be021-large.jpg)

*Effacement (the amount the cervix has thinned to).

(Image from:http://blogs.families.com/media/effacement.jpg)

*Station of your baby's head in your pelvis.

(Image from:http://www.healthsquare.com/fgwh/wh1c2603.jpg)

Phew... Just wanted to give you a better idea of the kinds of things they are talking about when they use those terms. 

NOW you can add your Bishop Score. 

As inductions today are on the rise, it is important to know how likely it will be that your induction will end in a safe, vaginal birth. According to the midwifery model of care, it is preferred that a woman would have a score of 9 or higher for a sucessful induction. A score of 7 or more is recommended for women under obstetrical care. 

(Image from: http://holisticdoulanycblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Picture-51.png)

For this information and more, please refer to:

http://www.mybirthbydesign.com/Bishop's%20Score.pdf