Your first ultrasound is an important step in learning more about your pregnancy. It provides essential details that help confirm what’s happening in your body and gives you the information you need to carefully evaluate your next steps, especially if you’re considering an abortion.
At Life Choices, we provide free ultrasounds. This simple and safe scan helps you better understand your pregnancy and your options.
Here’s what you can expect at your first trimester ultrasound.
How an Ultrasound Works
An ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the inside of your uterus. These images appear on a screen, allowing the medical provider to confirm necessary details about your pregnancy’s development.
If it’s early in pregnancy—usually around 6–8 weeks—a transvaginal ultrasound may be performed. During this type of scan, a small wand-shaped device is gently inserted into the vagina. While you may feel slight pressure, it should not be painful.
Abdominal ultrasounds are typically performed later in the first trimester. For this ultrasound scan, the nurse will apply gel to your stomach and move a handheld device called a transducer back and forth over your abdomen to produce images.
No special preparation is required, but in some cases, a full bladder may help create clearer images.
What the Ultrasound Tells You
Your first ultrasound provides three critical pieces of information:
- Viability: The scan confirms if your pregnancy is progressing and if a heartbeat is detected. Since about 26% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, this information is important for your decision-making process. You may need additional care if a miscarriage has occurred.
- Gestational Age: An ultrasound shows how far along you are and helps determine an accurate due date. The abortion drug is FDA-approved only through 10 weeks of pregnancy, so if you’re considering an abortion, you’ll need to know how far along you are.
- Location: The ultrasound reveals where the pregnancy is. While rare, sometimes the pregnancy develops outside the uterus, typically in a fallopian tube. This is called an ectopic pregnancy and requires emergency treatment. An abortion is not the correct way to address an ectopic pregnancy.
Free and Confidential Pregnancy Confirmation
At Life Choices, we want you to feel informed and supported as you consider your options. A free abdominal ultrasound can give you the answers you need before deciding about your pregnancy.
Schedule your appointment today to confirm your pregnancy and learn more about your next steps.
Life Choices does not provide or refer for abortions.