Why get ultrasound in early pregnancy?

What can you actually see in early pregnancy? Cells and tissue? Why look at that?

Well, as early as six weeks, you can see a tiny beating heart. You can see whether or not the developing baby is attached well in the uterus. You can see if the placenta is normal and whether implantation is even in the uterus. You can also tell (within a range of about four days) exactly how far along in your pregnancy you are. Keep in mind that when you first miss your period, your baby has already developed a few weeks and sometimes it's tough to know how much.

Still, is there any other point to having it done?

Yes, it's important to know if your developing baby is viable or not- meaning that it cannot be successfully carried through pregnancy. For example, if the tiny baby is not actually in your uterus, he will not survive. Some conditions are dangerous when the embryo has implanted in the wrong place, such as in a fallopian tube. That's called ectopic pregnancy and that requires emergency medical treatment. Other times, you can see that there is an abnormal placenta and know that you will naturally miscarry. The nurse can also tell how far along you are in pregnancy and whether the developing baby is normal. Sometimes, it's not and the nurse can tell that it will not survive.

Many women schedule abortions without seeing an ultrasound, so they pay for a procedure that didn't need to be done to begin with, since they would have miscarried anyway. Ultrasound can save you a lot of expense, trouble and possible trauma.

If you are pregnant and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, the nurse will write a referral for you to get on the Oregon Health Plan, which you will be eligible for, due to pregnancy.

Look at ultrasounds from 4 weeks onward

Our reference source for this article

(Note: The picture above is of a twelve week old developing baby.)

If you're interested in a free ultrasound, call or come by 1st Way. We have four registered nurses certified in ultrasound who work various shifts, and if you pass a pregnancy test at our clinic, you can be scheduled for your sonogram.

Call, email or visit

1st Way is a nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious voluntary service organization. We offer help to any woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy regardless of circumstances. All services are free and confidential.

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

What if I get pregnant while taking Dong Quai?

Dong Quai is a plant and people make herbal supplements and medicines from the roots. When googling "dong quai" many sites come up that talk about the beneficial effects dong quai has on "uterine health," "premenstrual syndrome." Some articles also talk about how dong quai is an aphrodisiac and can help increase chances of getting pregnant. How much of this is true?

Many people take dong quai because they believe it will help them get pregnant, but dong quai is not proven to help fertility and dong quai is not safe for use during pregnancy. Since most people do not suspect they are pregnant until they are at least 5 weeks along, damage to the unborn child could occur during this time.

Following is a summary of the information available from research with the drug:

Dong quai has not been proven to have any effectiveness at all for menopausal symptoms. There is not enough information yet to rate the effectiveness of dong quai on painful menstrual periods and pms. However, dong quai also has no effect on sexual desire or fertility. The only purpose that dong quai is possibly effective for is premature ejaculation in men, when applied topically- and that is only possibly!

Is drinking an occasional cup of tea made with dong quai necessarily harmful? Probably not. But, it is important to know the facts about the research and risk.

There is a report that dong quai has caused birth defects in the unborn and it has been shown that dong quai affects the muscles of the uterus in pregnancy, which can be destabilizing.

If you have been taking dong quai for any reason, there are risks. Although you might need to take it in large doses for it to have great risk, the product contains chemicals that are carcinogens and it can make you more sensitive to UV rays from the sun, which could raise risk of skin cancer. It won't do what most people think it will do, either.

However, if you have been taking dong quai and find out you're pregnant, that does not immediately mean your baby will have birth defects. Simply stop taking dong quai and consult your healthcare provider.

Also, come by 1st Way and schedule a free ultrasound. There, you can talk to a registered nurse about your concerns. We'll be happy to help!

1st Way is a nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious voluntary service organization. We offer help to any woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy regardless of circumstances. All services are free and confidential. 

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Coming Soon- Herbal Supplements and Unplanned Pregnancy

What do you do if you think you might be pregnant and you regularly take herbal supplements? Have you already harmed your developing baby?

There is not much reliable research about herbal use in pregnancy. Most medical information available refers to studies with pregnant animals, because it would not be ethical to use human subjects. Also, some non-medical information has been passed down to women by women through the years and this "folk wisdom" is also sometimes hard to evaluate.

However, coming soon- a series of articles about what reliable information we DO have, so you can evaluate if what you're already taking can or already has perhaps hurt your developing baby.

In the mean time, if you have any questions about your pregnancy or whether or not you might be pregnant, come and visit us-

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Could I still be pregnant? I had a negative pregnancy test after I missed my period.

It's not usually a good idea to ignore a negative pregnancy test, especially if it hasn't been very long after your missed period. 

Sometimes, it takes a while for pregnancy hormones (hCG) to show up in the urine. It can take several days for implantation to occur.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-can-i-ignore-a-negative-pregnancy-test_10315124.bc

It may also help to be aware of what some other pregnancy symptoms are, so you can take that in consideration when you are wondering what is going on.

Come into our 1st Way office to get a free highly sensitive pregnancy test and a free ultrasound if you like. You can call us, email or just drop by any time you like during our business hours, which are M-Th 10-4 and Friday 11-2. If we're closed, someone at our 24/7 toll free hotline will be happy to help.

1st Way is a nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious voluntary service organization. We offer help to any woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy regardless of circumstances. All services are free and confidential.

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

If you've waited over a week or two since your last period and your test still does not show a positive result, your period may be delayed for a variety of reasons, such as stress, too much exercise and thyroid problems. It's still a good idea to visit your doctor for questions and issues about delayed menstruation and possible pregnancy.