Do I have to be examined internally before an abortion?

Some people will need to have an ultrasound scan before an abortion. We do this to date your pregnancy. The number of weeks you have been pregnant is also known as gestation. Knowing your gestation will help us know what treatment options are available to you.

Sometimes the pregnancy can be too early for us to see with an abdominal (tummy) scan. If this happens, we may need to insert a small ultrasound probe into your vagina for a clearer scan image. We will only do this with your permission. The earliest pregnancy found using scanning equipment is around 4 weeks and 6 days gestation.