Before you decide to have an abortion, it’s important to understand what to expect and the repercussions. Abortion ends the life of your unborn baby, but it also changes yours forever. There’s no way to get around that. But if you choose to get an abortion without first confirming your pregnancy via ultrasound, you may experience unnecessary physical complications in addition to emotional stress. Let’s look at some reasons why it’s wise to get an ultrasound before getting an abortion.
VIABILITY OF PREGNANCY
The first reason is arguably the most important. An ultrasound determines whether or not your pregnancy is viable. If you have miscarried or it looks like miscarriage is likely, an abortion is unnecessary. 37 states do not require ultrasounds before getting an abortion, so if you only rely on a positive pregnancy test, you will not know if your pregnancy is viable or not. The physical and emotional experience of starting the abortion process – including the so-called abortion pill, which is considered “non-invasive” – can still wreak havoc on your body, hormones, and mental health.
GESTATIONAL AGE
Another important motivation to have an ultrasound before an abortion is to determine your gestational age. Gestational age marks how far along you are in your pregnancy. This measurement determines the type and procedure of abortions you can have which may impact your decision. For example, if you are more than 12 weeks along, you cannot use the abortion pill. You would need to have what’s called a Dilation & Evacuation (D&E), a surgical procedure after the provider injects a fatal medication into your baby’s heart. Abortion procedures after 24 weeks can last several days and require delivering a stillborn child. An ultrasound informs you to make the decision based on all available facts.
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
With any pregnancy, there is a potential for the embryo to implant somewhere other than the uterine wall. This is called an ectopic pregnancy and can be fatal to both mother and baby. Even if you think you want to abort, ectopic pregnancy poses a serious risk to your health as well. A history of previous abortions increases your risk for developing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which in turn makes you more susceptible to an ectopic pregnancy. The same is true if you have or currently use an IUD for birth control. Don’t risk serious and even fatal health complications until it’s too late – get an ultrasound to make sure.
BOOK A FREE CONFIDENTIAL ULTRASOUND
Are you pregnant, considering an abortion, and want to get an ultrasound for any of the reasons discussed in this post? Request a free, confidential ultrasound with no obligations and no judgment. Fill out the form on our website or give us a call!