Finding out you are pregnant creates many questions for most women. How can I know for sure that I’m pregnant? How far along am I? Can I afford medical support for my pregnancy?
The first step you’ll want to take is scheduling an ultrasound to determine how far along you are. However, getting an ultrasound can be challenging if money is tight or you don’t have health insurance. At Choices Pregnancy Centers in Phoenix, AZ, we offer free ultrasounds and other resources to help you navigate your pregnancy.
What Can You Learn During a Lab Quality Pregnancy Ultrasound?
An ultrasound is a procedure that uses sound waves to show images of soft tissues inside your body. Unlike x-rays, ultrasounds do not use radiation, making them safe during pregnancy as the sound waves do not risk the developing pregnancy. Ultrasounds provide the following information:
Pregnancy Confirmation
Pregnancy tests have a high accuracy rate, and a lab-quality ultrasound will verify your pregnancy. Although uncommon, some conditions can cause a false positive on a urine test, so confirming pregnancy with ultrasound is the first step you should take after receiving a positive urine test.
Numbers of Viable Pregnancies
Since a urine test cannot tell you how many babies you carry, an ultrasound is required to determine if you are pregnant with one baby or multiple. As multiples pose unique challenges and mean you’ll have increased nutritional needs during pregnancy, knowing this allows you to make informed decisions throughout your pregnancy.
Gestational Age
If you have irregular menstrual cycles, you may not be sure how many weeks pregnant you are. An ultrasound allows healthcare professionals to gauge the baby’s age, which is crucial to establishing if the baby is growing appropriately.
Heart Rate
Around five to six weeks after conception, the ultrasound can detect the baby’s heartbeat. Monitoring the fetal heart rate can help evaluate whether you are at risk of a miscarriage.
Pregnancy Location
When pregnancy occurs outside the uterus, it is dangerous to the health of the mother. In normal pregnancies, a fertilized egg moves through the fallopian tubes and attaches to the uterine lining, which grows inside the uterus. Unfortunately, and rarely, sometimes, the fertilized egg attaches elsewhere in the body, which is called an ectopic pregnancy.
In an ectopic pregnancy, the baby isn’t viable because it doesn’t have the blood supply from the uterus to help it grow. If not treated immediately, ectopic pregnancies will endanger the mother’s health. An ultrasound confirms that your pregnancy is in the uterus, providing peace of mind that your health is not at risk.
Free Ultrasounds in Phoenix, AZ
At Choices Pregnancy Centers, we offer a wide range of resources to the community. From free lab-quality ultrasounds and pregnancy tests to LifePath classes for both men and women, as well as a full-time OBGYN on staff, our team is committed to providing you with the reproductive support you need to thrive.
If you believe you may be pregnant, the first thing you’ll want to do is confirm with an ultrasound. Our compassionate, professional staff is ready to offer you the care and support you need. Contact Choices Pregnancy Centers today for more information on reproductive health and to schedule your ultrasound.
