Why Do I Need an Ultrasound?
An ultrasound is needed to confirm your pregnancy. An ultrasound will reveal three important factors of your pregnancy:
- The gestational age (how far along you are)
- The location of the pregnancy (if it’s within your uterus or not)
- Confirms if it’s a viable pregnancy or not (if it has a heartbeat & is progressing)
While a pregnancy test may indicate that you are pregnant, there is additional information that you will need before deciding what’s next. An ultrasound also may identify complications like a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy can be potentially life-threatening to the woman, so it is important that it be identified as early as possible.
How Do Ultrasounds Work?
An ultrasound involves using high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of your body. Limited obstetrical ultrasounds can be done externally with a transducer on top of the stomach or internally with a transducer inserted vaginally to view your uterus and the pregnancy. A transvaginal ultrasound is often necessary for women early in pregnancy, anywhere from 5-12 weeks.
Before An Abortion
If you’re considering an abortion, an ultrasound is necessary to confirm your abortion options. Dating the pregnancy is necessary to determine what procedures are available to you. An ultrasound is the only way to confirm the location and gestational age of the pregnancy.
Our medical staff can potentially offer you an ultrasound after you receive a positive pregnancy test with us. We can help you understand the results of your ultrasound, answer any questions and provide you with the information you need to make a fully informed decision about your pregnancy.
Schedule a free initial pregnancy test appointment today to get started.
Cleveland Clinic. (2022), Ultrasound in Pregnancy.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/9704-ultrasound-in-pregnancy.
Mayo Clinic. (2022, March 12), Ectopic pregnancy.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases- conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/symptoms-causes/syc-20372088
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024, September 19). Ultrasound imaging. FDA.
https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/medical-imaging/ultrasound-imaging
Miscarriage. (2023, September). Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354304