Do I Need an Ultrasound If I’m Going to Have an Abortion?

There are so many questions around having an abortion – what kind of abortion do I need? What is a chemical, or medical abortion? What is a surgical abortion?

One common question we hear is, “Why Do I need an ultrasound if I’m going to have an abortion?”

There are 3 important reasons to have an ultrasound, even if you don’t intend to continue the pregnancy.

The most important reason to have an ultrasound is to determine if a pregnancy is viable. Medical staff will look to see that it is a pregnancy that appears healthy and likely to carry to term. Most women don’t realize that over 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. If your ultrasound shows that you don’t have a viable pregnancy, you may miscarry. In that case, you would not need to have an abortion after all.

The second reason to have an ultrasound is to see how far along you are. This is important because it determines the type of abortion you should have. Abortion procedures can change depending on how far along you are, as well as the cost. The only definite way to determine this is through an ultrasound.

The third reason to have an ultrasound is to determine that the embryo is in the uterus. If the fertilized egg implants and grows outside the uterus, it is called an ectopic pregnancy.   Ectopic pregnancies can form in the fallopian tubes, in the ovaries, or cervix. An ultrasound is the only sure way to determine that the pregnancy is where it’s supposed to be. According to March of Dimes, about 2% of pregnancies in the US are ectopic. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, an abortion will be unsuccessful, and the pregnancy will continue. Plus, it’s life-threatening to you if not detected.

I hope this answers at least one of the many questions you have right now. Feel free to call or text us at 336-629-9988 to get more of your questions answered. Information is power!