Do I need an Ultrasound before an Abortion?
You may be thinking, “I’ve already made up my mind to have an abortion. Why would I need an ultrasound first?” In fact, an ultrasound is a very important step before going through with an abortion procedure.
One out of every three known pregnancies ends in miscarriage. An ultrasound can determine if a pregnancy is viable, meaning likely to carry to term.
A positive pregnancy test can indicate that you are pregnant, but it does not determine if your pregnancy is in utero, that is, in the uterus. Ectopic pregnancies (sometimes called “tubal pregnancies”) are when the pregnancy implants and grows in the fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. With an ectopic pregnancy, you can get a positive pregnancy test result, but it can’t be detected as ectopic without an ultrasound. Ectopic pregnancies are not viable (likely to carry to term), and if they are not detected, they can be life threatening to the mother. You can have the abortion procedure, but if the pregnancy is not in the uterus, the abortion will not be complete – you may think that the pregnancy has been ended, but the baby continues to grow in the fallopian tubes, posing a continually increasing threat you, the mother.
There are various abortion methods, and they can be dependent on how far along your pregnancy is. An ultrasound can determine how many weeks pregnant you are.
At Collage Center, we can provide a free limited OB ultrasound to determine if your pregnancy is viable. If it isn’t, you can avoid the risks and costs – physical and emotional – that are associated with abortion. Remember that you have time to get all the facts before rushing into anything. We are here to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for you to process through this big decision – no matter what.
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