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There are several tests which may be administered at your clinic. These include:
- Pregnancy Test or Ultrasound (sonogram)
Your provider may do a urine pregnancy test and/or an ultrasound scan to determine that you are, indeed, pregnant and how far along the pregnancy is. To assess pregnancy, an ultrasound is done by placing an instrument (also called a probe) either onto your abdomen or into your vagina. The probe conducts sound waves into your uterus to get a "picture" of the pregnancy. This is harmless to you and to the pregnancy and helps the provider determine the exact size and position of the pregnancy.
- Pelvic exam
In pregnancy, a pelvic exam is used to establish the size and position of your uterus. With this exam, a provider may be able to estimate the gestational age of the pregnancy, the position of the pregnancy within the uterus, the position of your uterus and other organs.
- Blood tests
The clinic will need to draw a small amount of blood. They will perform tests to determine:
- Rh factor
Your blood type can be either positive (+) or negative (-). Blood is Rh+ if you have a particular antigen (or protein) in your blood called the "D" antigen. If you are Rh-, your blood does not contain this antigen. If you are "Rh negative," you will need to have a small injection of something called Rh immune globulin (often referred to as Rhogam). This is to protect you from having an immune response that may complicate future pregnancies. For any pregnancy, regardless of the outcome, Rh negative women need this injection to help their body recognize future pregnancies.
- Anemia
The lab test for anemia (an HCT or HgB) will measure the percentage of red blood cells in your blood. If you do not have enough red blood cells, your blood does not carry enough oxygen through your body and this can complicate the healing process. If you have anemia (meaning your red blood cell count is low), a provider may ask you to wait to have it treated before providing your abortion. Treatment may be as simple as changing your diet or taking nutritional supplements.
- Vital Signs
Your provider will also check your vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature) and will monitor them throughout your stay for stability.
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