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If you have missed a period and think you may be pregnant, you have free options to take the next steps. While roughly 20 million at-home pregnancy tests are used each year to figure out what could be one of the biggest life changes for most women, it is estimated that 5 percent of those tests (roughly 1 million) may be falsely negative—meaning the result is negative even if a woman is truly pregnant1. So, if you’ve missed a period and you think you may be pregnant, now is the time to seek out medical attention to take an in-clinic pregnancy test and potentially complete an ultrasound. Both of these in-clinic tests can be used to verify if a pregnancy is present. Knowing the results of this testing can also help you understand which steps you want to take next.
If you are pregnant, the next logical question is asking how far along your pregnancy is, or rather, when are you due? Using the date of your last menstrual period or other dates like possible date of conception can be tricky and sometimes inaccurate. As a result, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists2 (2017) recommend ultrasound measurement of the embryo and fetus as the most accurate way to determine gestational age (how far along) a pregnancy is.
Knowing that due date can be helpful for women who are facing an unexpected pregnancy because it gives you time to seek advice and counsel from experienced clinician. An in-clinic ultrasound can be useful to determine the length of time you have been pregnant, and from there, help clarify if an at-home abortion, in-clinic abortion, or other alternatives like choosing to parent or place for adoption are right for you. Anchor of Hope offers free on-site pregnancy and ultrasound testing to help establish how far along a pregnancy is.
From a medical standpoint, determining a due date (knowing the length of pregnancy) helps protect women’s health by enabling careful consideration of any underlying medical problems, current medications, any potential risk factors for a complicated pregnancy. Medical professionals from Anchor of Hope can also order testing to screen for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Some STDs do not cause obvious symptoms, but often, frequent urination, genital pain or presence of new skin lesions may be subtle symptoms signaling that an STD is present.
Meeting with an experienced medical team member can help in understanding which community resources are available to you in your unique personal, medical, and financial situation. Some women face concerns about having financial resources to face pregnancy without a supportive partner or family members. The good news is that if you decide to pursue pregnancy or parenting, Anchor of Hope’s team will walk you through the process so you are not left to go at it alone. If you choose to pursue an abortion, medical team members will help you understand abortion and pregnancy options. The clinical team specializes in judgment-free and compassionate care.
Supporting and protecting the health of women is a crucial part of the Anchor of Hope mission. Our clinical team provides women with access to medical testing and consultation at no-cost to you with medical professionals who will confidentially and carefully listen to the concerns you may have about next steps to guide you through available options.
References
- Bhandari, T. (2019). Flaw in many home pregnancy tests can return false negative results. Retrieved July 30, 2025 from https://medicine.washu.edu/news/flaw-in-many-home-pregnancy-tests-can-return-false-negative-results/
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2014). Methods for estimating due date. Retrieved July 30, 2025 from https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2017/05/methods-for-estimating-the-due-date
