A prenatal ultrasound is vital for your health and safety during pregnancy. An ultrasound scan provides essential details about your pregnancy, giving you the medical information you need as you consider your next steps.
At Life Choices Family Resource Center, we provide free ultrasounds after you’ve received a positive pregnancy test from our center, and the nurse determines an ultrasound may be appropriate. Schedule free and confidential pregnancy testing to see if you qualify for an ultrasound scan.
Get the facts about your pregnancy and find peace of mind at Life Choices.
How Does an Ultrasound Work?
Generally, we perform your first ultrasound after learning the results of your pregnancy test. This scan is typically within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.
A first ultrasound can cause all sorts of emotions. Regardless of whether your pregnancy was planned or not, your first ultrasound can feel incredibly stressful. You wonder what you’ll see and learn about your pregnancy.
Start by learning how an ultrasound works. Ultrasound uses the echoes of sound waves to create images of the inside of your body.
Our trained sonographer applies a gel to your abdomen and moves a small, wand-like device, called a transducer, over it. The transducer picks up sound waves as they bounce off structures inside.
The echoes of those sound waves form a real-time picture on a computer screen. You’ll learn how far along you are in your pregnancy, where it is located, and whether it is developing.
What Will I See?
The image you see depends on the number of weeks you’ve been pregnant. According to Parents Magazine, a scan between 6 and 8 weeks can determine the following:
- If the pregnancy is viable (developing with a detectable heartbeat).
- The location of the pregnancy to rule out an ectopic pregnancy.
- Forecast the gestational age (how many weeks and days you have been pregnant).
- The number of fetuses.
If your first ultrasound is between weeks 10 and 13, you will also learn the following:
- The growth of the fetus to determine if it is still developing.
- A better understanding of the gestational age.
- And the possibility of any abnormalities.
Later ultrasounds reveal the gender, development, and any complications.
To learn more about the benefits of an ultrasound read, “What Is the Role of Ultrasound in Early Pregnancy?”
Receive a Free and Confidential Ultrasound at Life Choices
Don’t skip this critical step. To protect your health, get as much information about your pregnancy as possible. Start by scheduling free and confidential pregnancy testing. If your test is positive, we’ll schedule you for a free and confidential ultrasound.
We want you to be informed. Contact us today!