WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ULTRASOUNDS?
Ultrasounds allow moms and dads to take a peek into what is happening in the mother’s body! Ultrasound technology used for pregnancy purposes uses sound waves to produce the images of the inside of a mother’s uterus. Within the first trimester, you can see heartbeat, and as pregnancy progresses, you can begin to see arms and legs moving on the screen.
Two types of non-diagnostic ultrasounds that are performed at our Center are abdominal and vaginal. Abdominal ultrasounds are most common at A Women’s Pregnancy Center, however, we do have the capability of performing vaginal ultrasounds, which provide an even greater look at your growing little one at the beginning stages of pregnancy.
Sometimes, we are even able to see heartbeat at five weeks post-LMP (first day of last menstrual period) through vaginal ultrasounds!
If you are interested in referrals to local OB-GYNs who can assist you in providing a diagnostic ultrasound, we can provide information to get you started! We have a list of great doctors who will be able to come alongside you in your pregnancy journey to gain more and more information as your pregnancy progresses. Ultrasounds are how doctors determine if you are expecting one or multiple babies, as well as the gender. Ultrasounds can also diagnose health concerns as well, should they arise.
In addition to traditional ultrasounds, 3D/4D ultrasounds are often available to pregnant women, and can provide a more detailed image of your little one! If you are interested in pursuing this option, talk to your OB-GYN to discuss setting up an appointment.
WHY ARE ULTRASOUNDS IMPORTANT PRIOR TO AN ABORTION?
Even if you are considering or planning on terminating your pregnancy, it is important to first have an ultrasound prior to pursuing any sort of abortion procedure, including the abortion pill. It is first important to determine whether there is a viable pregnancy. If you are in the middle of a miscarriage, this can be determined by an ultrasound performed by an OB-GYN.
It is important to rule out miscarriage prior to pursuing the expenses of abortion since roughly 15%, and roughly 80% of those occur within the first trimester.
Furthermore, it is important to rule out a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy prior to pursuing abortion. If an ultrasound displays that your pregnancy is ectopic (a pregnancy outside of the uterus), it is important to go to the emergency room right away, as this could potentially endanger your health. Abortion terminates pregnancies that are within the uterus, but would not be effective for a pregnancy outside of the uterus.
At our Center, we provide free non-diagnostic ultrasounds to clients who take a positive pregnancy test with us. We are able to detect a fetal heartbeat and determine whether the pregnancy is in the uterus. If you want to make sure you have a viable pregnancy prior to having an abortion, we can first discuss what abortion procedures entail, and refer you to an OB-GYN who could provide a diagnostic ultrasound.
We do not perform or refer for abortions, but we have a great deal of information available to you on each abortion procedure, what happens within your body, and more. It is always helpful to be informed prior to entering into any pregnancy decision, and we are here to equip you with the tools to make an empowered and informed decision, which includes our free ultrasound services.
WHAT DO ULTRASOUNDS LOOK LIKE AT A WOMEN’S PREGNANCY CENTER?
At AWPC, we offer non-diagnostic ultrasounds performed by trained members of our team. We are able to provide abdominal ultrasounds, and we have registered nurses who are able to perform vaginal ultrasounds if necessary.
Though our ultrasounds are limited, meaning we cannot diagnose a mother’s health or the health of her baby, this is still an incredibly beneficial step for women, regardless of which pregnancy option they choose to pursue.
We are not meant to take the place of an OB-GYN, and if you are in need of a referral, we would be happy to provide a list of recommended doctors during your appointment with us.