Today, the reality is hitting harder than usual. She found out she is pregnant. Pregnant! How can that possibly be?
Finding out she is unexpectedly pregnant is hard. In fact, it’s frightening. She thinks, “I don’t have the time or the money to have a baby.” She is wondering what her partner would say if he found out. What would her friends say? Her parents?
Pregnancy centers get it. Discovering an unplanned pregnancy is scary. It is definitely not what our clients/patients had on their schedule. Now they need to figure out what they are going to do. They have a big decision to make and pregnancy centers are the ideal place to seek health care. We do so in many ways
Verify the Pregnancy
If she has discovered she is pregnant through an at-home pregnancy test or because she hasn’t gotten her period period, pregnancy centers can verify a pregnancy with a free lab-quality pregnancy test.
Most at-home tests are pretty accurate, but sometimes women take them too soon. Women can call 1-800-712-4357 to find a pregnancy center near them that offers a free pregnancy test.
According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. The actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur so early in pregnancy. Often, a woman doesn’t even realize she’s pregnant.
Most miscarriages happen before the 12th week of pregnancy. Taking a pregnancy test is important, but it is only an indication of pregnancy. Her next best step is to have an ultrasound.
Get An Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a medical scan that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images from inside the body. While we can’t hear the sound waves, we can see the image on the computer screen.
Having an ultrasound provides essential information: how many weeks pregnant you are, if the baby is living, and if the baby is located in the right place – the uterus (womb) versus another place, most commonly the fallopian tube.
Most pregnancy centers offer free ultrasounds. Patients can call 1-800-712-4357 to see if there is a center offering free ultrasounds near them.
Why Women Should Get An Ultrasound
If a woman is considering an induced abortion, she needs to have an ultrasound. Determination of pregnancy location, intrauterine (in the uterus) versus ectopic (outside the uterus) requires an ultrasound. Since the drugs used to induce an abortion do not treat ectopic pregnancy, women who desire an abortion and receive abortion medications (mifepristone and misoprostol) without an ultrasound may result in delayed detection and treatment of an ectopic pregnancy, increasing the risk of greater internal bleeding and risk for death.
Additionally, the drugs used to induce an abortion are only indicated for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy due to an increased risk of complications, especially hemorrhaging. Approximately one half of women accurately recall their LMP and thus ultrasound proves valuable to determine the actual estimated date of delivery or EDD.
Making The Final Choice
Pregnancy centers empower women with information as they make a decision of massive consequence. We are staffed with individuals who provide exceptional and trusted care. Women can contact their local pregnancy center or the national Option Line by calling 1-800-712-4357, start a live chat, text “HELPLINE” TO 313131, or email.
Women with an unplanned pregnancy are often alone, scared, and pressured. Pregnancy centers are a non-judgment zone that partners with women as they journey and hopefully can make a life-affirming decision for their family.
Help is a phone call or text away.