A positive
pregnancy test can tell what happened in the recent past. You got pregnant. However, because up to 20% of known pregnancies and as many as 40% of total pregnancies end on their own, you may still have hCG in your urine but no longer have a live pregnancy. An ultrasound is the only way to confirm if your pregnancy is still viable (developing), a critical piece of information if you are making a pregnancy decision.
Determining viability is important because up to 20% of pregnancies end on their own in miscarriage. Only an ultrasound can determine if you have miscarried TODAY. Additionally, if you are considering abortion, it is crucial that you know how far along you are. This will determine the type of procedure available to you and how much it would cost.