If abortion is on your mind, a positive pregnancy test leaves three medical questions unanswered: Is the pregnancy developing? Is the pregnancy located inside the uterus? How far along are you?
Knowing these three things first helps protect your health and identify any concerns that may require medical attention.
Cecil Pregnancy and Family Resource Center offers ultrasounds at no cost to you. Schedule an appointment at Cecil today.
Did You Know You May No Longer Be Pregnant?
It’s true. Research estimates that 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Some research suggests that more than 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, and many end before a person even knows they’re pregnant.
Most miscarriages occur early in pregnancy before the end of the first trimester. You may have pregnancy hormones in your body after a miscarriage for quite a while, which could result in a positive pregnancy test even though you’re no longer pregnant.
Only an ultrasound can confirm if your pregnancy is developing or if you’ve had a miscarriage.
Obviously, a miscarriage means there is no need for an abortion.
The Location of Your Pregnancy is Critical
Although rare, some pregnancies form outside of the uterus. These pregnancies are called ectopic. Only the uterus can hold a growing pregnancy.
Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy develops in one of the fallopian tubes, which leads to the uterus. As the pregnancy grows, the tube can rupture, causing severe pain and life-threatening internal bleeding.
An ultrasound reveals where the pregnancy has implanted. To treat an ectopic pregnancy, your healthcare provider may use specific drugs or recommend surgery. The drugs for the abortion pill method will not affect an ectopic pregnancy.
The Gestational Age Determines the Abortion Procedure
The gestational age refers to how many weeks and days you’ve been pregnant. The FDA approves the use of the drugs for a medical abortion (the abortion pill method) through 10 weeks of pregnancy only.
Knowing how far along you are in your pregnancy protects your health and safety. An ultrasound can provide a precise number of weeks and days.
Even if you keep track of your monthly cycle on a calendar or use a period tracking app, predicting ovulation (when you’re most likely to get pregnant) can be difficult.
Get a No-Cost Ultrasound at Cecil
You need to get as much information about your pregnancy and the various abortion procedures as possible. Schedule no-cost, confidential pregnancy testing at Cecil Pregnancy and Family Resource Center. If your test is positive, we’ll provide a no-cost limited obstetrical ultrasound.
Your health and safety matter to us. Schedule an appointment today. You can use our online contact form or call (410) 398-7888. If you need assistance after hours, call our 24/7 helpline at 800-712-4357. We’re always available to help.
Cecil Pregnancy & Family Resource Center does not perform or refer for abortion.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.