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In the next blog, we will help you learn about the many pregnancy tests and studies that are recommended to do before undergoing a safe abortion process. This way, you can know the number of weeks of pregnancy for sure and choose what you want to do.
Pregnancy test: Urine or blood
Quite a few methods are available on the market to take a pregnancy test. Their goal is to detect the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone (hCG) in blood or urine. This hormone is vital for maintaining a pregnancy.
Urine test: It can be purchased at almost any pharmacy; we recommend trying big or chain pharmacies. It is straightforward: Urinate in the sample collection area and wait 5 or 10 minutes. It only provides a positive, negative, or invalid result –in that case, you should do a new one because it is unreliable. For a more reliable result, we recommend performing it between 10 and 14 days after unprotected sexual contact.
Blood test: This is performed in a lab because it requires a blood sample that will be centrifuged to separate the components and determine hCG levels. The result is obtained within the first few hours or maybe a day after the sample is taken. For a more reliable result, it’s best to do it between 7 and 10 days after unprotected sexual contact.
Which one is more accurate?
The blood test is usually more precise and sensitive, as it can detect lower levels of hCG compared to the urine test. Regardless of the test being performed, it is recommended to do it one day after your period should have started or between 15-20 days after unprotected sexual intercourse. These recommendations of dates are always given to women or childbearing people with regular periods.1
What should you do now after a positive result?
The next step is to do an ultrasound, which is the most reliable method for confirming a pregnancy. It uses sound waves above the threshold of human hearing; these waves travel through the body and bounce back to form an image, making it the most effective way to confirm if there’s a pregnancy.2
This method can determine if the uterus is empty or occupied by an embryo and, most importantly, estimate the pregnancy weeks based on its size. This is vital if you have chosen to have a safe abortion, because the selection of methods depends on the weeks of pregnancy. A transvaginal ultrasound will be more reliable during the first trimester of amenorrhea and will yield accurate results earlier than the pelvic ultrasound.
To perform an ultrasound, it’s recommended to first confirm a missed period, as missing a period alone does not confirm pregnancy. This condition, can also be called amenorrhea, can also be caused by internal factors such as infections, autoimmune diseases, genetic conditions, or blood disorders. External factors—like poor diet, intense exercise, inadequate sleep, and stress—can also affect your menstrual cycle.2
That’s why taking a pregnancy test or confirming with an ultrasound is recommended to verify if you are pregnant and then decide on the best course of action if you choose to end the pregnancy.
Understanding Your Pregnancy Timeline: Why Weeks Matter
It’s essential to know how far along the pregnancy is to ensure proper prenatal care if you wish to continue it, or to determine the most suitable method if you choose to terminate it. There are two safe options for abortion: medication or uterine aspiration. Medication abortion can be performed up to the 10th week of pregnancy and can be managed at home.
To calculate your weeks of pregnancy, you only need the date of your last menstruation. Count the weeks that have passed up to the current date from this date. For example, if your previous period was on February 16 and today is April 1, 6 weeks and 2 days have passed. These will be your current gestational weeks.
For women with irregular periods, the absence of menstruation may not be a sign of pregnancy. In these cases, even when the baby’s heartbeat is already detectable, the woman or childbearing person might not have realized she is pregnant due to irregular periods. This limits access to legal and safe options for pregnancy termination because it’s a determinant in choosing a safe abortion method. Other laboratory tests will be recommended to determine the weeks of pregnancy more accurately.3,4
Another way to calculate pregnancy weeks is to use a pregnancy calculator.
If you do not plan to carry out, it’s important that you know about organizations like Telefem. These organizations support women and childbearing people in their reproductive decisions, offer remote medical counseling and guidance nationwide through specialized professionals, and provide you with a kit with all the necessary supplies. If you or someone you know needs support, contact us via WhatsApp.
We hope this information will be helpful to you. To know all you need to know about safe abortion, reproductive health, and safe abortion, you’re more than welcome to visit our blog. We help you find answers to all your doubts. We’ll see you there!
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* This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.
References:
- Mieres P, et al. Guía de Salud Menstrual. La Tribu. 2022. [Visit April 2025]. Available at: https://minmujeryeg.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Guia-de-Salud-Menstrual-la-tribu.pdf
- Casas-Patiño D, et al. Ultrasonido en el primer trimestre del embarazo. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2012;50(5):497-504. Available at: https://www.medigraphic.com/pdfs/imss/im-2012/im125i.pdf
- Nobles J, et al. (2021). Menstrual irregularity as a biological limit to early pregnancy awareness. Proc Natl Acad Sci. U.S.A. 2021;19(1):e2113762118. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2113762118
- Caicedo Goyeneche, et al. Aspectos Básicos del Síndrome de Ovario Poliquístico, una revisión a la literatura. Fasgo. 2022;21(3):34-59. Available at: http://fasgo.org.ar/images/Revista_2022_15.pdf