Your next step after receiving a positive pregnancy test result is to have an ultrasound. You will need an ultrasound in order to make a fully informed decision about your pregnancy.
Free and Confidential Ultrasounds
Choices Resource Center offers free and confidential limited ultrasounds to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy. Just receiving a positive pregnancy test is not enough information. Ultrasounds provide real-time information.
What Is An Ultrasound?
Although the idea of using sound waves to make a picture sounds strange, that is exactly what an ultrasound does. A prenatal ultrasound (also called a sonogram) creates a visual image of your baby and internal pelvic organs. It is a medical scan that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images from inside your body.
Our licensed and trained nurse will administer the ultrasound scan. She’ll apply a gel-like substance to your stomach, then, an instrument (called a transducer) is rubbed over the gel. It records the echoes of the sound waves as they bounce back. The echoes create the image you see on a computer screen.
Why Do I Need An Ultrasound?
Before you can make any decision about your next steps, you need to answer three very important questions. How far along am I? Is the pregnancy continuing? Where is my pregnancy located? Answering these three questions will help you determine your next steps.
An ultrasound will determine how far along you are in your pregnancy. By measuring the baby, the exact date of conception can usually be determined.
You need to know if your pregnancy is viable. This means the fetus has the ability to live. Roughly 20% of known pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage. If the ultrasound scan locates a heartbeat, it confirms the fetus is developing. The heartbeat can sometimes be detected as early as 5 weeks after conception.
Finally, knowing where your pregnancy is located is vitally important for your health. If the fetus has attached somewhere other than the uterus, it’s called an ectopic (or tubal) pregnancy. This type of pregnancy is extremely dangerous to your health and you would need to see a doctor immediately.
Your Next Step
What to do next with your unplanned pregnancy is a serious, life-altering decision. We never want you to feel like you have to make that choice alone. We can discuss all of your options, talk about your current life situation, and even dream about your future.
For more information about our free and confidential ultrasounds, contact our offices at 865-483-0099.