Ultrasounds Before An Abortion
3 Medical reasons to have an ultrasound before an abortion
If you are considering an abortion, you may doing extensive research online to determine your next step. Or you may be searching for the easiest and quickest way to end your pregnancy.
You might be tempted to order abortion pills immediately after a positive pregnancy test. Some abortion providers attempt to make medication abortion pills available to be ordered online with little to no medical provider oversight, and no follow up care.
Yet, your health is most important, so we ask you to consider these 3 medical reasons to have an ultrasound before an abortion:
GESTATIONAL AGE--TO DATE THE PREGNANCY AND SEE EXACTLY HOW FAR ALONG YOU ARE
Menstrual cycle dates can be unpredictable and you may be further along than you thought. Gestational age is important to know prior to an abortion because how far along you are may determine which kind of abortion you choose.
LOCATION OF THE PREGNANCY—TO RULE OUT ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
A normal pregnancy should be in the uterus. A pregnancy outside of the uterus, or an ectopic pregnancy, can be life threatening. An elective abortion procedure in the case of an ectopic pregnancy is not medically indicated because the pregnancy will not be able to continue outside of the uterus.
An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency and evaluation at the ER should be sought immediately if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected. The treatment for ectopic pregnancy is different from an abortion.
VIABILITY OF THE PREGNANCY—TO RULE OUT MISCARRIAGE
An ultrasound will be able to make sure this is a pregnancy that is likely to progress. An increasing number of pregnancies end in miscarriage, which means the pregnancy terminates on its own.
An elective abortion is not medically necessary in this case, and evaluation from an OB is important for your health if a miscarriage is suspected.
The absolute most important medical step to take before an abortion is to have an ULTRASOUND, provided by a trained medical professional. The information above is what we share with each of our pregnant patients. Our licensed medical professionals at Parkridge will care for you and provide medically accurate pregnancy and abortion information. Please call us at 806-794-8555 or Request an Appointment for free and confidential medical services at Parkridge.
We hope the information included here is helpful, and is received in conjunction with other medical information. This blog post is not intended to replace information directly received from a medical provider.
Parkridge provides free and confidential ultrasounds, as well as pregnancy testing, std testing and treatment, counseling, and after abortion support. Call our clinic or click here to schedule an appointment with us for one of our services.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/abortion.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2020/maternal-mortality-rates-2020.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372093
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2000/0215/p1080.html
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/early-pregnancy-loss
