 This change in the shape of the fetal head is called "molding" and is much more prominent in women having their first vaginal delivery.Cervical ripening is the physical and chemical changes in the cervix to prepare it for the stretching that will take place as the fetus moves out of the uterus and into the birth canal.A scoring system called a Bishop score can be used to judge the degree of cervical ripening in order to predict the timing of labor and delivery of the infant or for women at risk for preterm labor.