You’ve taken a pregnancy test and it’s come back positive. This wasn’t in your plan, or maybe life feels overwhelming already, and so you wonder about taking the abortion pill. But you also have so many questions, like “how far along am I?” or “where do I go from here?”
Asking these questions and gathering the right information is an important part of a pregnancy decision process. If you’re considering taking the abortion pill, an ultrasound is a vital next step in answering your questions.
So, what is an ultrasound and why is it so important when you’re considering taking the abortion pill?
What is an ultrasound scan and what does it do?
An ultrasound scan during the first few weeks of pregnancy is used as a diagnostic tool to:
- confirm pregnancy
- determine gestation (how far along a woman is in pregnancy)
- to ensure it is an intrauterine pregnancy (not ectopic)
An ultrasound can also determine if a miscarriage has occurred by looking for and detecting a fetal heartbeat[1].
Why is this information important before I take the abortion pill?
Collecting this information is important before taking the abortion pill because the abortion pill can only be taken up to 10 weeks gestation and will not work if the pregnancy is ectopic.
Taking the abortion pill without having the correct information about your pregnancy can result in complications such as an incomplete abortion or infection[2].
What do I do now?
If you think you might be pregnant and you’re looking for help on what to do next, we offer free and confidential medical grade pregnancy test verifications and limited obstetric ultrasounds.
During these appointments, you’ll have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Care Clinic’s registered nurse, ask her all the questions you might have, and talk with someone through everything you may be feeling.
*Care Pregnancy Resource Center does not perform or refer for abortions. All medical services are provided through referral relationship with onsite Care Clinic. Care Clinic is staffed by licensed medical professionals.
Sources
- Stanford Medicine. Ultrasound in Pregnancy. Children’s Health. Retrieved from https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=ultrasound-in-pregnancy-90-P02506
- Mayo Clinic. (2022, July 29). Medical Abortion. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687