Once you receive that positive pregnancy test, you may feel it’s time to make a decision. However, more information is needed to actually confirm your pregnancy and help you decide your next steps.
Only an ultrasound can confirm the details needed to protect your health and safety. That’s why True Care Women’s Resource Center offers no-cost, confidential limited OB ultrasounds for qualifying clients. Contact us to schedule an appointment and determine whether you are eligible for this scan.
In the meantime, keep reading to learn what information an ultrasound can provide.
It Can Help Date the Pregnancy
Pregnancy is usually dated from the first day of your last menstrual period.
That gives you a useful starting point, but menstrual dates are not always exact. Maybe your periods are irregular. You might not remember precisely when the last one began. Ovulation can also occur earlier or later than expected.
An ultrasound uses measurements from the pregnancy to estimate gestational age.
Knowing how far along you are can be useful whether you are preparing for prenatal care or researching your options. For example, the abortion pill is FDA-approved only through 10 weeks gestation, and taking the drugs past this timeframe isn’t recommended.
It Can Show Where the Pregnancy Is Located
A pregnancy should develop inside the uterus.
However, in rare cases, you might have an ectopic pregnancy. With this condition, the fertilized egg implants somewhere outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy cannot develop normally, and if left untreated, can lead to life-threatening complications like severe bleeding.
An ultrasound can help determine whether the pregnancy is located inside the uterus. If an ectopic pregnancy is detected, you must receive immediate medical care.
However, it’s also crucial to know that you may experience typical pregnancy symptoms with this condition before warning signs start to appear. If you are experiencing severe abdominal or pelvic pain, shoulder pain, fainting, heavy bleeding, or significant dizziness, seek emergency medical attention rather than waiting for an ultrasound appointment.
It Can Provide Information About Development
What can be seen on an ultrasound depends partly on how many weeks pregnant you are.
A scan may show structures associated with the pregnancy and, when far enough along, cardiac activity (heartbeat). If the pregnancy is extremely early, there may not yet be enough to draw a conclusion. In that situation, you may need to wait a little longer to gather information.
An ultrasound can also help when there is concern that a pregnancy may no longer be developing, since pregnancy hormone levels can remain detectable for a period of time following a miscarriage.
As many as 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. If you have miscarried, you may require medical follow-up to prevent complications.
We’re Here to Help
Whether you’ve already taken an at-home pregnancy test or believe you’re having symptoms, we can help you get answers.
You can start with urine pregnancy testing performed by a nurse at our center. Following a positive result, and if you are eligible, we provide no-cost, confidential limited OB ultrasound services. The scan will provide useful information about gestational age, pregnancy location, and early development.
Contact True Care Women’s Resource Center today to schedule an appointment and find out whether you qualify for an ultrasound.
True Care Women’s Resource Center does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.