How Can an Ultrasound Protect Your Health and Safety?

April 23, 2025

An ultrasound scan collects critical pregnancy details by taking real-time images of your pregnancy. There is safety in clarity.

Without an ultrasound, you could have an undetected, pre-existing condition that could lead to a complication later on. You can protect your health with an ultrasound by learning how far along you are, your pregnancy’s location, and whether your pregnancy is progressing.

At Darke County Pregnancy Help Center, we can offer you a free and confidential ultrasound after you receive a positive pregnancy test result from us.  

Keep reading to learn more about the three critical details an ultrasound can tell you.

1. How Far Along You Are

Also called gestational age, knowing how far along you are is key to identifying your available options. The FDA has only approved medical abortion (the abortion pill) through the first ten weeks of pregnancy. After that, another type of abortion might be considered safer for your situation.

2. Pregnancy Location

An ultrasound identifies the location of your pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus.

Some women (about 2% of pregnancies) experience ectopic pregnancies, which happen when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the uterus, most frequently in a fallopian tube. This condition can lead to life-threatening bleeding if left untreated.

An ultrasound alerts you to a possible ectopic pregnancy (a non-viable pregnancy) so you can seek immediate medical care. The treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not abortion. 

3. Whether the Pregnancy Is Progressing

Did you know that about 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage? 

An ultrasound confirms if you have a progressing pregnancy by screening for the presence of a fetal heartbeat. If an ultrasound cannot detect a heartbeat, it might be too early to detect it, or you could have miscarried.

While some miscarriages will resolve on their own, it’s best to seek medical help to ensure no other treatment is necessary to prevent complications.

Find Free Support at Darke County 

If you receive a positive pregnancy test result at our center, we’ll provide a no-cost ultrasound. Our registered ultrasound technician or physician will review the ultrasound with you, and we can discuss your next steps.

Contact us to make a free and confidential appointment today. You are not alone.

We do not provide or refer for abortions.