Before proceeding with an abortion decision, there are three things you need to do to protect your health, and one appointment at Baywater Women’s Clinic can help you do all three.

Safeguard your health by confirming your pregnancy details with an ultrasound scan, testing for STIs/STDs, and understanding all your options.

Confirm Your Pregnancy Details

A positive pregnancy test doesn’t tell you the whole story. An ultrasound sound will reveal critical health details to help reveal all available options, plus alert you to certain medical complications requiring treatment.

An ultrasound scan will tell you..

How far along you are (gestational age) – The abortion pill is only FDA-approved through the first ten weeks of pregnancy; after that, another type of abortion might be considered safer. Your gestational age will also estimate your due date if you decide to carry to term.
The location of your pregnancy – A normal pregnancy should implant within the uterus. If an ultrasound cannot find your pregnancy inside the uterus and you have a positive pregnancy test, you may be referred to your local emergency room to check for an ectopic pregnancy. This condition is when the pregnancy grows outside the uterus, and it is considered a medical emergency.
Whether it is progressing – An ultrasound should be able to detect a heartbeat at six weeks of pregnancy. If the ultrasound cannot find a heartbeat, you have either miscarried, or it’s too early to detect. In the case of a miscarriage, you would be referred to an OB-GYN for more testing, diagnosis, and potential treatment.

STI/STD Testing and Treatment

Sexually transmitted infections or diseases are bad news, whether you are pregnant or not. Getting tested and treated can protect your reproductive health now and in the future.

If you’re considering an abortion, no matter what type, it’s essential to receive STI testing first. If you have an existing bacterial STI during a procedure, there’s a chance you could spread it further into the reproductive system, potentially causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).