What is a pre-abortion screening?
After you find out that you’re pregnant, you may be considering an abortion. Whether seeking a medical (also called “chemical” ,”RU486″, “Plan C”, or “missed period pills”) or surgical abortion, it’s important to know a few things. This is why Alpha Center in Fort Collins offers pre-abortion screenings. Request an appointment today.
1. Am I pregnant?
This one may seem obvious, but in order to have an abortion, you have to actually be pregnant. If a test is taken too early, you have a faulty test, or there are other medical issues at hand, you may get a faulty result. Our schedulers can help you determine if it’s the right time to take a pregnancy test when you call to schedule an appointment. During a pregnancy or pre-abortion screening appointment, a lab-quality pregnancy test will be administered by our nurse, and your results will be ready in minutes.
2. Is the pregnancy Viable?
Even if a pregnancy test comes back positive, it’s possible you may not need an abortion. Nearly 1 in 3 pregnancies will not carry to term – and 1-2% of pregnancies are ectopic. While performing an ultrasound, our nurse will look for the presence of a heartbeat as well as ensuring that the pregnancy is located in the uterus. If it is found that the pregnancy is not viable or that the nurse is unable to confirm an intrauterine pregnancy, our nurses will provide more information and referrals for further care.
Additionally, it is important to know the gestational age of your pregnancy. Since many people experience irregular periods or do not know when their last period was, period dating can be inaccurate. During your ultrasound at Alpha Center, the nurse will measure the pregnancy to determine gestational age. Depending on the age of the pregnancy, the kind of abortion you would be eligible for may change, as pursuing a medical abortion is generally only available during the first trimester of pregnancy.
3. Do I have an std?
Prior to having an abortion, it’s important to ensure that you are free of any STDs as having having an untreated STD can pose a risk for future pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). According to the National Library of Medicine, “Pelvic infection is the commonest complication of legal abortion. The presence of lower genital tract infections increases the risk of complications…” This can lead to long term pelvic pain and fertility issues. Even if you aren’t having any symptoms, the CDC states that at least 70% of Chlamydia infections aren’t symptomatic, and that on any given day in 2018 (the last year surveyed), 1 in 5 Americans had an STD, known or unknown.
FAQ:
What are my other options?
At Alpha Center, we believe that an informed decision is the best decision, and we do not profit from your decision. This is why we offer medically accurate information on abortion, as well as information and resources for adoption and parenting as well. During your appointment, we will provide information on all options, though you are free to accept or reject any information.
Do you provide abortions?
As we are a nonprofit clinic (meaning we provide appointments at no cost to our patients), we do not provide nor refer for abortions, nor are referrals needed to obtain an abortion.
Sources:
Stevenson MM, Radcliffe KW. Preventing pelvic infection after abortion. Int J STD AIDS. 1995;6(5):305-312. doi:10.1177/095646249500600501
Detailed std facts – pelvic inflammatory disease – cdc fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid-detailed.htm. Published July 22, 2021. Accessed August 2, 2022.
Ectopic pregnancy. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372093. Published March 12, 2022. Accessed August 2, 2022.
Dugas C, Slane VH. Miscarriage . National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532992/. Published June 27, 2022. Accessed August 2, 2022.
Detailed Std Facts – Chlamydia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia-detailed.htm. Published April 12, 2022. Accessed August 2, 2022.
Clinical Practice Handbook for Safe Abortion. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. 1, PRE-ABORTION. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK190097/