Why is an Ultrasound Important?
An ultrasound is one of the most important tests you can have when you discover your unplanned pregnancy. For a pregnant woman, ultrasound gives vital information about her pregnancy.
- An ultrasound confirms your pregnancy by locating a heartbeat. Even though you may have received a positive result on your pregnancy test, an ultrasound verifies if you’ve had a miscarriage. Many women experience miscarriages before they even realize they’re pregnant. If the sonographer can confirm a heartbeat and verify the fetus is continuing to grow, you will know you haven’t had a miscarriage.
- The ultrasound tells you the estimated gestational age of your pregnancy. In other words, you know how far along you are. By measuring the size of the fetus, the sonographer can determine the possible date of conception, as well as an expected due date.
- It locates the area the pregnancy may be. If the fetus has attached somewhere other than the uterus, it’s called an ectopic (or tubal) pregnancy. An untreated ectopic pregnancy is extremely dangerous and may result in a trip to the ER.
Because ultrasounds provide real-time information, you’ll know what is happening inside your body. To make any decision regarding your pregnancy, including choosing abortion, you need to have the information only an ultrasound can give. Genesis Women’s Clinic does not refer abortions.
When Can I Get an Ultrasound?
At Genesis Women’s Clinic, we offer free, confidential ultrasound scanning. When you come in for an appointment, our staff will do a health assessment to determine if you are eligible. The time to get an ultrasound is shortly after receiving a positive pregnancy test at the clinic when you are at least 6 weeks from your last menstrual period.
