It’s important to safeguard your health when making a pregnancy decision. An ultrasound before abortion is necessary to do just that. There could be unknown details of your pregnancy that can inform your options or point you toward necessary medical intervention.
In this blog, we discuss the three reasons you need an ultrasound before an abortion.
1. Verify Viability
The first thing that an ultrasound verifies is the viability of your pregnancy, which means it’s progressing and you haven’t miscarried.
About 10-20% of pregnancies end in natural miscarriages. Though pregnancy tests can detect if you’re pregnant, they are limited in what else they can tell you. An ultrasound will detect whether a fetal heartbeat is present and determine whether you have miscarried.
Miscarriage often resolves on its own, but sometimes requires medical treatment.
2. Know How Far Along You Are
Certain abortion procedures are performed at different times in pregnancy, which makes an ultrasound necessary to determine how far along you are. It’s important not to guess or estimate with an app, as you could be too far into your pregnancy for the abortion pill.
The FDA has approved medical abortion for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. An ultrasound with a medical provider will determine precisely how far along you are through measurements.
3. Be Alerted to Possible Complications
Lastly, be aware of possible pregnancy complications. An ultrasound verifies if your pregnancy is located in your uterus. Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy complication where the embryo implants in a location other than the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening if not addressed and treated right away.
With certain pregnancy complications like ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage, a medical abortion nor surgical abortion can resolve it. Other medical treatment is required.
No-Cost Ultrasounds
We at Innervisions Healthcare offer no-cost ultrasounds (if there are no medical contraindications) because we care about women, their pregnancy journeys, and beyond.
If you need help verifying your pregnancy, schedule an appointment today for clarity and answers.