Limited Ultrasounds

Believe it or not, a late period and a positive pregnancy test may not be enough information to confirm your pregnancy. There is more to know, and an ultrasound provides the answers you need. If you qualify, Radiance Women’s Center offers free and confidential limited ultrasounds.

Is An Ultrasound Necessary?

Ultrasound is also known as sonography, and an ultrasound picture is called a sonogram. It uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time pictures or video of internal organs or other soft tissues.

An ultrasound answers the following three critical questions:

Is my pregnancy progressing with a heartbeat (viable)?
Where is my pregnancy located?
What is the gestational age?

Let’s take a closer look.

viability

A viable pregnancy means it is developing with a detectable heartbeat. Experts estimate that as many as 26% of all pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage, and the majority of those occur in the first trimester (13 weeks or less).

After a miscarriage, it takes a woman’s body time to return to pre-pregnancy hormone levels. Healthcare professionals suggest that the pregnancy hormone hCG can remain in a woman’s body from four to six weeks. It is possible to get a positive pregnancy test even after a miscarriage for days or weeks.

Location

After receiving a positive pregnancy test, it’s vital to know the location of the pregnancy. Although rare, some pregnancies implant outside the uterus. This type of pregnancy is called an ectopic pregnancy. Only the uterus is capable of maintaining a growing, developing pregnancy.

If the pregnancy implants in another location, such as a fallopian tube, it can cause the tube to rupture. A ruptured fallopian tube can lead to life-threatening bleeding. You must see a healthcare provider immediately if there’s a chance you have an ectopic pregnancy.

Gestational Age

Gestational age refers to the number of weeks and days you have been pregnant. Even if you have a regular 28-day cycle, it can be challenging to determine the date you became pregnant.

The sonographer can take measurements to determine the number of weeks. This information is especially valuable if you are considering abortion. The FDA approves the abortion drugs through 10 weeks of pregnancy only, and some state abortion laws are based on gestational age.

What to Expect

At Radiance Women’s Center, a medical technician performs our limited obstetrical ultrasounds. For an abdominal ultrasound, the sonographer places a gel on your stomach and passes a device known as a transducer through the gel.

The transducer transmits ultrasound waves through the gel and into your body. Those sound waves capture real-time information, which converts to an image on a computer screen.

Get a Free Ultrasound

You must start with a pregnancy test appointment at Radiance Women’s Center. If your test is positive, we’ll evaluate your eligibility for a free ultrasound.

If you are not eligible, we can provide information and a referral for a low-cost ultrasound at a diagnostic facility. Ultrasounds performed at Radiance Women’s Center only answer the above questions. We do not provide ultrasounds to diagnose or detect a medical problem or the gender of your baby.