A positive home pregnancy test may feel almost unbelievable. What should you do? How are you going to get through this? Should you tell your family and friends? The questions can be endless.
As you make a decision about your unplanned pregnancy, an ultrasound will provide you with the information and the clarity you need.
If you’re considering abortion, you’ll want an ultrasound beforehand for four reasons:
- Confirm the location of your pregnancy. Although you had a positive pregnancy test at home, tests cannot tell you whether the pregnancy is located within your uterus. When a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, it’s considered an ectopic pregnancy and a medical emergency. Abortion would not be effective in an ectopic pregnancy. An ultrasound can rule out an ectopic pregnancy.
- Confirm how far along you are. With an ultrasound, a healthcare provider can determine how far along you are in your pregnancy, also known as your gestational age. Although you can try to guess your EGA based on your last menstrual period, studies show that an ultrasound is most accurate. Almost 40% of women who receive an ultrasound discover an EGA different than what they thought based on their period. Your EGA will then determine which type of abortion you’ll be eligible for.
- Confirm the viability of your pregnancy. Almost 10-20% of known pregnancies end in a miscarriage, and almost 80% of those occur within the first three months of pregnancy. However, many women do not know that they’ve miscarried until they have an ultrasound. With ultrasounds, a healthcare provider can assess whether your pregnancy is properly progressing.
- Confirm how many pregnancies you have. Some women have multiple pregnancies- twins or triplets- and don’t even know it. Before you make a decision about your pregnancy, you’ll want to have all of the information.
When can you hear a heartbeat on an ultrasound during pregnancy?
Typically, cardiac activity can be detected around six weeks of pregnancy (or six weeks after your last menstrual period). Before six weeks, other structures such as a gestational sac and a yolk sac can indicate the progression of a pregnancy.
What can I expect with an ultrasound?
Our healthcare professionals conduct safe and confidential ultrasounds. The ultrasound machine sends sound waves through a transducer that then bounce off of the structures inside of your uterus, before transforming those into visible images.
How much does an ultrasound in Watertown or Lowville cost?
At Care Net NNY, we provide confidential and free care. After confirming your pregnancy with a urine test, our healthcare professionals will freely provide an ultrasound if you are in your first trimester. We do this in order to ensure that you have all of the information you need to make the best decision for you.
No matter how you feel right now, you’ve got what it takes. Take your decision about your pregnancy one step at a time. Call us today at 315-Make An Appointment782-5433 for your appointment. We’ll walk you through all of your options because we’ve got your back!
Recent Comments