Limited Ultrasounds
Ultrasounds provide the insight you need to make an informed pregnancy decision.
If you are considering abortion, an ultrasound can help you determine how are along you are which will impact abortion options.
A limited ultrasound informs you
of 3 things:
- How far along you are (gestational age)
- If the pregnancy is developing in your uterus
- If the pregnancy is viable
What is Gestational Age?
Gestational age is how far along you are in your pregnancy. An ultrasound helps give an accurate age to your pregnancy by measuring the embryo.
If you are pregnant in Florida, it is important to know the gestation age of your pregnancy, particularly if you are considering abortion. With the new law’s six-week limit, this will determine which options are available to you.
What is Pregnancy Viability?
A pregnancy is viable if it is expected to continue to develop normally and is indicated by the presence of a heartbeat (around 6 weeks). Over 26% of all pregnancies, even when the test is positive, do not develop into a viable fetus.
A nonviable pregnancy is a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy (a life-threatening condition where the pregnancy develops in the fallopian tubes).
Do I need an ultrasound if I’m considering an abortion?
Even if you are considering abortion, it is important that you first have an ultrasound. Over 26% of all pregnancies, even with a positive pregnancy test, end in miscarriage [1].
A limited ultrasound can also reveal if the pregnancy is likely ectopic. Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg does not make it out of the fallopian tube. This can cause the tube to rupture as the embryo grows. This is a life-threatening condition which requires immediate medical attention.
With both of these nonviable pregnancies, an abortion is not necessary.
In Florida, an ultrasound before an abortion is required to determine how far along you are. If you are more than 6 weeks, abortion is no longer an option.
Source: [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30422585/#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20as,and%20abortion%20are%20used%20interchangeably.