Woman's Health Centers

When Someone You Love Needs a Choice

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Ultrasound

An Ultrasound is created when sound waves are reflected off specific areas of the body…there is no radiation involved in the ultra sound exams.

Here at Woman's Health Centers, we use two different types of Ultrasounds.

One is the Abdominal Ultrasound. A transducer, which looks like a rounded curved scanner is glided over the abdomen to produce images that we can measure to determine the gestational age of your pregnancy.

The second type of ultrasound uses a Trans Vaginal probe. This is a wand that is inserted in the vagina and used to create images of your uterus. For this exam, you will lie on your back with your feet in stirrups like a pelvic exam. For early pregnancies, this type of ultrasound allows us to more closely measure your pregnancy. When a pregnancy is very early, it sits right down on the cervix. Viewing the pregnancy through the vagina gives a closer look.

Ultrasound exam is painless and harmless. Because a gel is used to enhance the way the transducers work you may feel a cool sensation when the gel comes in contact with your body. There are no side effects involved in Ultra Sound exams.

The Ultra Sound is performed by trained technicians. You may discuss the results of your ultra sound with your doctor during your visit. Every patient that comes to our facility for a termination of pregnancy will have a sonogram as part of the preparation for her procedure. Knowing the approximate gestation of your pregnancy helps the doctor provide the safest, most appropriate procedure for you.

In order to proceed with a surgical termination we must be able to see the structure of pregnancy in the uterus. This means that we must be able to image the gestational sac and a yolk sac. This tells us that the pregnancy is located in the uterus, and is not ectopic of molar.

Sometimes the pregnancy is too early to show up in the ultrasound. The staff can discuss options with you. A chemical termination may be appropriate, or you may be rescheduled to return for your procedure on a future date.