The decision to terminate a pregnancy is a decision that comes along with a great deal of thought. However, even after this process, several steps must be followed before the procedure can be performed. One of these procedures is the ultrasound process. Learn why the ultrasound is such a critical part of the termination process.
State Law
State law often requires that everyone who enlists termination services begin with the ultrasound process. This step is required because each state has regulations regarding when a pregnancy can be terminated. For example, in a state that has a 9-week maximum for termination, the ultrasound would be used to date the pregnancy to ensure it does not exceed this threshold.
Only those individuals who qualify based on state law will be able to move forward. Keep in mind that the pregnancy will be dated based on the date of the termination procedure, not just at the time of the ultrasound. For this reason, if the ultrasound and termination are not scheduled on the same day, you will need to plan accordingly.
Expectancy
Another reason an ultrasound is necessary is to diagnose the expectancy of the pregnancy, also known as viability. The medical reality is that not all pregnancy progress to full-term. Genetic abnormalities, structural issues within the womb, and pregnancies that fertilize outside the uterus are some of the reasons that lessen the expectancy of a pregnancy.
In some instances, termination will not be performed if the pregnancy is diagnosed as unviable. Instead, the individual might be advised to visit their primary healthcare provider to undergo the required medical treatment to assess the health of the pregnancy.
Safe Procedure
The goal of the termination process is to terminate the pregnancy while keeping the mother's safety at the forefront. Like the medical concerns that can make a pregnancy unviable, certain medical conditions can put the individual at risk during the process. The provider who will perform this procedure must be aware of these concerns before the termination begins, which is why the ultrasound is performed beforehand.
Again, like the expectancy review, if it is discovered that the termination process cannot be performed without putting the individual at an undue risk, they may be forwarded to their healthcare provider for further assessment.
If you have additional questions about the ultrasound process, speak with a clinic like Hope Pregnancy Center to learn more about the process and what you need to do to prepare.
Are you looking for information on abortion and abortion clinics? This is quite a complex and nuanced topic. It is one that is affected by politics and religion, along with people's personal opinions on the matter. It is not always easy to find content related to abortion and abortion clinics, but we hope this blog will change that. We will be publishing informative articles here for our readers to learn from. We are careful to do our research and offer only reliable content related to abortion. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, we hope that you find some helpful content here.