The first thing you should do after a positive pregnancy test is to schedule an ultrasound. The Hope Clinic offers limited obstetrical ultrasounds free of charge. Before you can make a decision about your pregnancy, talk to one of our nurses about getting an ultrasound.
Our Ultrasounds Are Offered Free of Charge
A positive pregnancy test means you have the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in your body, but it does not tell you how the pregnancy is progressing. Learning as much information as possible about your pregnancy can help you make an informed decision about your body. An early ultrasound answers these questions:
- Am I really pregnant?
- Is the pregnancy growing in the right place?
- Does the fetus/baby have a heartbeat? (viability)
- How far along am I?
When it comes to verifying your pregnancy, you want to be confident every test you take is accurate. At The Hope Clinic, we offer limited ultrasound verification to women who have a positive pregnancy test in our clinic.
What Is An Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is an imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture live images from the inside of your body. It sounds complicated, but the procedure is done entirely outside of your body. You cannot even hear the sound waves. At The Hope Clinic, our ultrasound technician applies a lubricating gel to your stomach and rubs a hand-held device (called a transducer) on your skin. The transducer sends sound waves into your body, collects the echoes that bounce back, and sends those to a computer, which creates an image on the screen.
The Reasons For An Ultrasound
An ultrasound allows you to answer all of the above questions. Our medical professional will locate the pregnancy to confirm the positive result of your pregnancy test and determine if it is viable. Viability means a heartbeat is detected. If there is no heartbeat, then it may be too early in your pregnancy, or there is a chance you have naturally miscarried.
Once a heartbeat is detected and the pregnancy located, the technician will measure the fetus and estimate, based on its size, how far along you are. This information will determine what options are available to you. (Our ultrasounds are not for the purposes of diagnosing or detecting any medical problem or the sex of the baby)
If your pregnancy has implanted anywhere outside of the uterus, it is considered an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies are dangerous. If this is the case, you should seek immediate medical attention.
After the Ultrasound
Now that you had pregnancy testing and ultrasound, you will need to decide about your unplanned pregnancy. It is a lot to take in, but your personal advocate will walk through every aspect with you. She will ask you about your personal goals and help you understand your options.
Talk to your advocate and share your concerns. You can trust that everything you share will be kept in strictest confidence. Your advocate may schedule a follow-up appointment in case you have additional questions or concerns. We are here for you.
All services at The Hope Clinic are free of charge and confidential. You can click this link to see a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.