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Do I Need an Ultrasound to Get the Abortion Pill?

Do I need to get an ultrasound to get the abortion pill?

Yes. In order to get an abortion in the state of Florida, patients are required to first undergo an ultrasound scan. However, there are several other important reasons ultrasounds are considered a necessary pre-abortion screening.

Today on the blog, we will be discussing how getting an ultrasound before your abortion will help you avoid serious abortion pill complications.

What are the side effects and risks of the abortion pill?

To understand why ultrasounds are so important, let’s first explore the potential risks and side effects you may face when taking the abortion pill.

Women who take the abortion pill can expect to experience cramping and vaginal bleeding as the abortion pill ends the pregnancy and expels the fetus from the uterus. In addition to these side effects, women may also experience nausea, weakness, fever, chills, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, and dizziness.

While these common side effects will typically go away within days of the abortion being completed, women may also experience severe health risks following a medical abortion. These potentially life-threatening health risks include infection, sepsis, and hemorrhaging and can often be avoided through the proper pre-abortion screenings, including an ultrasound scan.

How will an ultrasound scan help me avoid severe health risks related to the abortion pill?

As you decide if the abortion pill is right for you, it’s important to gather all of the information you can regarding your unique pregnancy. An ultrasound scan will determine the age, location, and viability of your pregnancy and each of these factors is key in learning if the abortion pill is the best choice for you.

Viability

An ultrasound is required to confirm that you are pregnant with a viable pregnancy. While a pregnancy test identifies whether or not your body is producing the pregnancy hormone, hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), an ultrasound will reveal if your pregnancy has a reasonable chance of survival.

Roughly one-third of pregnancies do not carry to term, and if your pregnancy has already ended naturally, taking the abortion pill will not be required.

Location

Ectopic pregnancies, also known as extrauterine pregnancies, take place when a fertilized egg begins to develop outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes.

This condition is serious and potentially life-threatening and needs to be treated as soon as possible. An ultrasound scan will allow your doctor to determine the exact location of the pregnancy and rule out an ectopic pregnancy.

Age

An ultrasound scan is the only way to confirm the gestational age of your pregnancy. Because the abortion pill is only effective in the first 10 weeks of gestation, it’s essential that you confirm this information before you decide if the abortion pill is right for you.

If you attempt to terminate a pregnancy that is too far along, this could result in an incomplete abortion, which can lead to infection and hemorrhaging.

Schedule a No-Cost Appointment

Schedule an appointment for a no-cost ultrasound today!

Here at Palm Beach Women’s Clinic, we believe every woman should have easy access to the information she needs to make an informed choice for her pregnancy. That’s why we provide no-cost and confidential ultrasound scans, pregnancy testing, and STD testing! Schedule your appointment today!

 

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