An Ultrasound? What For?

Getting an early ultrasound can feel like an unnecessary step in your pregnancy, but it can provide helpful medical information about your pregnancy regardless of what your plan for the pregnancy is. Let’s break down the benefits and risks.

What Information Does an Ultrasound Provide?

An ultrasound can give you information about two things regarding your pregnancy: viability and the gestational age of the embryo or fetus. A viable pregnancy is one that exists inside the uterus and is experiencing expected growth and development. The gestational age can give you the exact number of weeks, and even days, old the embryo or fetus is. This is much more precise than measuring the age based on your last menstrual period (LMP). Neither of these things can be determined by a urine pregnancy test.

Viability

What is the importance of knowing the viability of your pregnancy? The viability of your pregnancy is crucial information to safeguard your health whether you are considering parenting, adoption, or abortion. If the pregnancy is ectopic (outside of the uterus), it can pose immediate risks to your health, and urgent medical attention is critical. Additionally, the abortion pill is not effective against ectopic pregnancies.

If you are experiencing a miscarriage, that also means that the pregnancy is not viable. An ultrasound may alert you to a miscarriage before you start experiencing any symptoms. Miscarriages can be difficult emotionally and physically, and may require medical care to prevent or manage complications.

Gestational Age

Why does the gestational age of the embryo or fetus matter? If you are considering abortion, it is important to be certain of the gestational age. The FDA has only approved the abortion pill through the first 70 days (10 weeks) of pregnancy. If you experience irregular periods, there is a higher chance of guessing the age of the embryo or fetus incorrectly and facing additional risks. Knowing the gestational age can also provide you information about when the birth would be expected, and the current stage of development the embryo or fetus is in. Does it have a heartbeat? Does it have fingers? Finding out the gestational age will tell you everything you need to know about what is growing inside of you so that you can make an empowered decision based on facts and what you are experiencing.

Does an Ultrasound Have Risks?

As with any medical procedure, you should know both the benefits and risks of ultrasounds. While generally considered safe, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has recommendations for limiting their use.¹ Generally, ACOG recommends only getting an ultrasound when there is a medical need. There are no current known adverse effects on the pregnancy, but there is a potential for adverse effects. For this reason, they recommend time efficient scans to prevent unnecessary exposure.

Do I Need An Ultrasound?

Whether you are planning to obtain an abortion, place your newborn with an adoptive family, or parent your baby, getting an early ultrasound can provide valuable medical information to help inform your decision. We offer no cost first trimester ultrasounds so that finances won’t impede your ability to get the information you need.