An abortion clinic may or may not offer an ultrasound before an abortion, though sometimes they do. The real question is how could an ultrasound benefit you? Let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s.
Pro’s:
- Viability Check: An ultrasound helps determine if your positive pregnancy test is really a living, growing pregnancy or just a response of hormones from a miscarriage. If there is not a living, growing pregnancy, an abortion is not needed to end it. The benefit here is clear: no emotional burden from having an abortion, no physical risk from having an abortion, no cost from having an abortion.
- Ruling out Ectopic Pregnancy: If an abortion is performed (whether by pills or surgery), it will not end a pregnancy growing outside of the uterus, known as an ectopic pregnancy (and sometimes known as a tubal pregnancy, if growing specifically in the fallopian tube). If undetected (and especially if not suspected, thinking the abortion ended the pregnancy), an ectopic pregnancy can be a dangerous medical situation. An ultrasound looks for where the pregnancy is located.
- Determination of Size/Age of Pregnancy: Abortion procedures vary depending on how far along the pregnancy is. While the date of the last menstrual period provides an initial estimate, it is often corrected by the date/age discovered in the ultrasound.
Con’s:
- At many abortion facilities, there is a fee for an ultrasound or insurance is needed.
HOWEVER, at the Women’s Clinics Maryland, all of our services are FREE of charge. We are able to provide a free, viability ultrasound if you have a positive pregnancy test and are considering abortion.
Text us today for your appointment: 443.333.8856.