Learn more about your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Confirmation | What Is It?

An ultrasound, sometimes referred to as a sonogram, is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images of specified parts of the inside of the body. This procedure allows licensed medical professionals such as registered diagnostic medical sonographers (RDMS) and nurses to monitor a fetus, as well as diagnose a condition or guide a surgeon during certain procedures. Some abortion clinics use this technology during an ultrasound-guided abortion. 

If you suspect you’re pregnant and you’re unsure what your first step should be, you’ve arrived at the right place. At First Coast, located in Florida, we provide women facing unexpected pregnancies with the information they need to make an empowered and informed pregnancy decision. After taking a lab-quality pregnancy test at our clinic, an ultrasound should be your next step.

How Can an Ultrasound Help?

Whether or not an ultrasound is required, we recommend having one for the following reasons:

• Pregnancy viability 
  There are times you can get a false-positive pregnancy test result, yet the fetal heartbeat (only detected by ultrasound) is nonexistent. In this case, your pregnancy is not viable and will not progress. There are several reasons this could happen, including miscarriage, tubal pregnancy, or molar pregnancy.
   

• Tubal pregnancy 
  An Ectopic Pregnancy, which happens in one of every fifty pregnancies, is a fertilized egg that implants itself outside of the uterus. When this happens, the pregnancy can't survive and, if not addressed, can cause fatal bleeding. Abortion pills should never be taken if your pregnancy is ectopic.
   

• Gestational age 
  A normal pregnancy can range from 38 to 42 weeks. The gestational age is the term used to describe how far along the pregnancy is and is measured in weeks, from the first day of the woman's last menstrual cycle to the current date. If you weren't expecting to get pregnant, especially if you were using birth control, you may be unaware of how far along you are in your pregnancy. If you're considering abortion, there are different types of abortions depending on the gestational age of your pregnancy.
   

• Miscarriage
  10 - 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, according to Mayo Clinic. If your body excretes the pregnancy on its own, you will not need to get an abortion. By getting an ultrasound prior to an abortion procedure, you could potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars because the ultrasound can reveal a miscarriage is likely to occur. 

• Multiple fetuses 
  It's not uncommon to find something extraordinary — twins! It’s imperative to have all the information you need, including if you’re carrying twins, before you make a pregnancy decision. If you continue your pregnancy, this can help your healthcare provider establish care, or if you are considering abortion, it can determine the type of procedure and cost. 

What to Expect

When you make an ultrasound appointment, you will be given instructions on how to prepare. Like any medical appointment, arriving early to fill out paperwork is important. Ultrasound appointments take 15-45 minutes. However, we typically keep hour-long time slots for our patients. We never want to make you feel rushed.

​Before your appointment:

You will also need to drink water and not go to the toilet until after the scan – you will be given instructions on how much water you will need to consume. 

During your appointment:

Our licensed medical personnel will advise you on what will occur during your ultrasound. Additionally, depending on the gestational age, there are two types of ultrasounds:

• external ultrasound scan – the wand moves over the skin

• internal ultrasound scan – the wand is inserted inside the body
   

After your appointment:

You will receive a call from our clinic anywhere from 24 hours to 2 days with your ultrasound results.

How Much Does It Cost?

At First Coast, we provide our ultrasounds free of charge. However, an ultrasound can cost anywhere from $200 to $800, depending on the location, state, and type of facility. The average cost of an ultrasound without insurance is $410. Don’t wait. Come see us today. 

Why Choose First Coast

No matter what circumstances bring women through our doors, we hope to provide the compassionate care they deserve during their pregnancy decision and beyond.

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