Ultrasound Exam
Every patient receives an initial ultrasound exam. The purpose of the ultrasound exam is to confirm that the patient is pregnant, to confirm that the pregnancy is within the uterus, 
and to “date” the pregnancy. Ultrasound is very accurate in determining the “dates” of the pregnancy (by convention, pregnancies are dated in weeks from the beginning of the last menstrual period).
Most of these ultrasound exams are transvaginal, or on some occasions, an abdominal ultrasound may be necessary. Measurements can then be made that determine the dates of the pregnancy. The entire exam takes only a few minutes, and is painless. Women do not need a full bladder for an ultrasound in our office.
In rare cases, an ultrasound lab is available on-site to assist in the evaluation of unusual findings. For example, it may be necessary to rule out an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. A full service laboratory is available to assist us with lab testing and evaluation as required.
Diagnosis of a tubal or ectopic pregnancy: While this is not, strictly speaking, a complication of the abortion procedure itself, it is a serious problem requiring prompt action to insure the safety and provide appropriate medical attention to the patient. About one in a hundred pregnancies may be a tubal pregnancy. Tubal pregnancies may be treated with medicines or by surgery. Once a tubal pregnancy is diagnosed, the patient may be referred to her regular gynecologist or treated by the physicians in our practice.
