What Is Fetal Station?

Fetal station is something your doctor may check as your pregnancy delivery date nears. The fetal station is a measurement of how far the baby has descended in the pelvis, measured by the relationship of the fetal head to the ischial spines (sit bones). The ischial spines are approximately 3 to 4 centimeters inside the vagina and are used as the reference point for the station score.

Station is a measurement of fetal descent in labor and is measured using vaginal exams. It usually isn't measured until the last few weeks of pregnancy or you may not hear it discussed until you are in labor.

Why It’s Important

The station number is one of the signs of progression in labor. When labor begins, some women will have a baby who is fairly high in the pelvis with a station of -2. Other women start labor with a baby that is engaged at a 0 station, or lower. In the case of fetal station, lower in the pelvis (and closer to the vaginal opening) means a positive number.

You might hear someone say the baby is coming down, which is a positive change in station of your baby. The station of your baby really starts to change once you are pushing.

Measurement of fetal station is important when a forceps delivery is being considered. The baby must have progressed to an appropriate station for forceps delivery, as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

How It's Determined

The measurement of fetal station by a vaginal exam is somewhat subjective and there can be variation between practitioners. The doctor feels for the baby's head and determines where it is relative to the ischial spines. Ultrasound might also be used to help determine the fetal station.

The difference between numbers in the score is equivalent to the length in centimeters. Moving from +1 to +2 is a movement of about 1 centimeter.

Fetal Station and Bishop Score

Fetal station is also one of the five components of the Bishop score, which used to evaluate the cervix's readiness for labor and to predict whether you will need to have labor induced. The other factors in the score are also determined by the vaginal examination. They include cervical dilation, cervical effacement, cervical consistency, and cervical position.

A commonly used modified Bishop score uses just station, dilation, and effacement instead. With this more simplified scoring system, a score of 5 or more (out of 9) indicates cervical ripeness. Preference of the doctor, the specifics of your pregnancy and medical history, and other factors will determine which scoring method is used.

A Word From Verywell

Fetal station is just one of the factors that indicate progress in childbirth. It always helps to have more information and understand the terminology of labor, but know that every delivery is different and that your baby's station can shift quickly. If you have questions or concerns, ask your doctor or midwife.