You’ve taken the at-home pregnancy test, and it’s positive. Now what?
You should do two things before you do anything else:
1. Confirm pregnancy development (age) and viability,
2. Confirm your pregnancy is in the correct location in the uterus and is NOT ectopic.
Why are these important to you?
Confirming pregnancy, development, and viability:
You need to know how far along you are to help determine what type of abortion you can have. The abortion pill is taken up to 10 weeks (based on the first day of your last period) and is not considered effective by the FDA after 10 weeks. A surgical abortion must be performed beyond 10 weeks. Did you know that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage due to lack of viability? Why pay for an abortion when the pregnancy isn’t implanting or growing properly? Nature will take care of it. You don’t have to do anything.
Age and viability will help guide you in your next steps.
Confirming your pregnancy is not ectopic:
You need to know where the pregnancy is located within the uterus to make sure it is not an ectopic pregnancy. According to Med MD, “an ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself outside of the uterus. They’re also called ‘tubal pregnancies’ because most of them happen in the fallopian tubes. Whether there’s a problem with the egg or the tube, the egg gets stuck on its journey to the uterus.” (https://www.webmd.com/baby/treatment-for-ectopic-pregnancy). This pregnancy cannot survive and can be fatal to the mom if not diagnosed and medically handled.
If you have an ectopic pregnancy and take the pill, the pill will not impact the ectopic pregnancy. You will go through all the same pain and bleeding the pills create, making you believe it has ended the pregnancy, but the pregnancy will remain and grow. Furthermore, this may provide you with a false sense of completion and cause you not to follow up with a doctor. This is very dangerous, given that an ectopic pregnancy can be fatal to the mom.
According to the Mayo Clinic, two types of treatment are available if you have an ectopic pregnancy: (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372093):
- Medication
- Surgical options
It’s important to know that a pregnancy test can only confirm that you are pregnant. It cannot reveal anything about the location of the pregnancy, only an ultrasound can do that.
Now that you understand the importance of having an ultrasound before you do anything, where do you go to have one?
Your local Pregnancy Resource Center should be able to provide you with a FREE medical-grade pregnancy test, and, if positive, they will provide a free ultrasound. The medical staff at the PRC will be able to determine the development, age, viability, and location of the pregnancy—three vital pieces of information you must have for your next steps.
What more can a Pregnancy Center provide?
Pregnancy Centers are designed to answer questions and provide options for you. They can provide accurate information regarding the types of abortion and what the potential side effects are. They can also provide you with education and financial and material support should you choose to keep the pregnancy. Sounds like who you need to talk to before making a big decision.