3 Reasons You Need an Ultrasound Before Abortion

An unexpected pregnancy can be a difficult time, but it’s essential to gather all the information you need to make an informed decision about your health. One important step before considering an abortion is to have an ultrasound.

Not only can an ultrasound provide crucial information about your pregnancy, but it also gives you the opportunity to speak with a healthcare professional about your next steps.

Here are three critical reasons why an ultrasound is necessary before an abortion:

1. Check Your Pregnancy’s Viability

Miscarriages happen in approximately 26% of all pregnancies, often before a woman even knows she’s pregnant. A pregnancy test can confirm the presence of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). However, it won’t tell you if the pregnancy is still viable or if you’ve experienced a miscarriage.

An ultrasound can detect a fetal heartbeat, confirming whether the pregnancy is progressing or if it has ended naturally, saving you from unnecessary procedures.

2. Discover the Location of Your Pregnancy

An ultrasound can also determine the location of your pregnancy, ensuring that it’s safely located in the uterus. In rare cases, a pregnancy may develop outside the uterus, known as an ectopic pregnancy.

This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. An abortion procedure would not treat an ectopic pregnancy, making an ultrasound crucial to rule out this risk and ensure you receive the proper care.

3. See How Far Along You Are

Knowing how far along you are in your pregnancy is vital, as it affects the options available to you. For instance, the abortion pill is only FDA-approved through 10 weeks of gestation.

An ultrasound accurately measures gestational age, ensuring you understand what procedures you’re eligible for.

Access No-Cost Pregnancy Services

At Crossroads, you may be able to receive a no-cost ultrasound and talk with a healthcare professional about your pregnancy. Our team is here to provide support and help you explore all your options.

*All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.

Sources:

Ectopic pregnancy: What is it? (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9687-ectopic-pregnancy
Home pregnancy tests: Can you trust the results? (2022, December 23). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/home-pregnancy-tests/art-20047940#:~:text=During%20early%20pregnancy,%20the%20amount%20of#:~:text=During%20early%20pregnancy,%20the%20amount%20of
Mifeprex (mifepristone) information. (2023, March 23). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/information-about-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation
Miscarriage (Archived) – StatPearls – NCBI bookshelf. (2022, June 27). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532992/#