You would think a late period and a positive pregnancy test would be all you need to confirm a pregnancy, but there is more to know.
For instance, did you know experts estimate as many as 26% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage? There’s no reason to get an abortion if you’ve already miscarried. How do you find out if you’ve miscarried? With a limited ultrasound.
What Is an Ultrasound?
An ultrasound is an imaging procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to create a visual image of your pregnancy. During an ultrasound, sound waves are sent through your abdomen or vagina by a device called a transducer. The sound waves bounce off structures inside your body, creating an image on a computer screen.
What Does an Ultrasound Reveal?
If you are considering abortion, getting more information about your pregnancy is vital. Here are three reasons why a limited ultrasound is critical to making your decision:
1. Over one in four pregnancies ends in a miscarriage.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates miscarriage is the most common form of pregnancy loss. Most miscarriages occur early in a pregnancy.
Because it takes your body time to return to its pre-pregnancy hormone levels, it is possible to get a positive pregnancy test result even though you may no longer be pregnant.
If an ultrasound detects a heartbeat, you have not miscarried. However, not hearing a heartbeat may mean you’re too early in your pregnancy or you have miscarried.
2. The abortion pill requires knowing the exact date of conception.
If you are hoping to use the abortion pill method to terminate your pregnancy, you need to know exactly how long you have been pregnant.
The FDA only approves the abortion pill method through ten weeks of pregnancy (70 days from the first day of your last menstrual period). The Mayo Clinic recommends not using this method past nine weeks.
The farther along you are in your pregnancy, the less effective the drugs become. You run the risk of an incomplete abortion or an ongoing pregnancy.
A limited ultrasound determines how far along you are in your pregnancy.
3. Your pregnancy may be in the wrong location.
Although rare, it is possible to have an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic means your pregnancy is growing outside of your uterus.
Sometimes, a pregnancy implants in other locations, such as the fallopian tubes (which lead to the uterus). It cannot continue to grow without major complications, such as excessive bleeding. An ectopic pregnancy can even be life-threatening.
A limited ultrasound determines if the location of the pregnancy is correct. If not, your health would be in jeopardy, and you would need medical treatment.
How Can Reach Out Pregnancy Center Assist Me?
If you take a no-cost pregnancy test at Reach Out and it is positive, we can schedule you for a no-cost ultrasound scan. We offer limited ultrasounds to pregnant women in their first trimester (up to 12 weeks).
Our trained sonographers use ultrasound to help you gather the information you need. Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can provide fact-based information on abortion procedures, side effects, and potential risks.
Fill out our confidential online Inquiry Form to take a no-cost pregnancy test. If the test is positive, we’ll schedule your no-cost ultrasound. We’re here for you.