Your Experience
What to Expect
When stepping on to an Image Clear Ultrasound mobile medical unit, you may be surprised by how “at home” you feel. The front of the unit is arranged with a couch and chair, just like in a living room. The medical exam room is in the back of the unit and can be closed off with two doors to provide complete privacy. The restroom is located between these two rooms.
A trained member of the mobile team will greet you. She will collect some basic information from you required for medical services.
You will collect a urine sample in the restroom on board the mobile unit for the pregnancy test.
If your pregnancy test is positive, the medical staff (a sonographer, RDMS, or a licensed nurse with training in ultrasound) will review your medical history with you and determine if you are eligible for an ultrasound at this visit. If eligible, she will perform an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy and to determine how far along you are. For more information on the kind of ultrasounds performed on the mobile, click here:
After your ultrasound, you will have opportunity to discuss all your options with the mobile staff.
Finally, you will receive a discharge plan with any “next steps” you need to complete. For example, the staff
- may ask you to return for a retest if your test was negative.
- may ask you to return if you are too early in your pregnancy for an ultrasound.
- can provide information, connections, and/or referrals to community organizations or governmental agencies in your area.
- will recommend you schedule an appointment to have your pregnancy confirmed by a doctor.
Throughout your visit, you will be treated with dignity and respect.
HIPAA laws govern the confidentiality of your visit and personal information.
We will answer all your questions honestly.
You should expect your appointment to take 45 minutes to an hour.
ALL services are provided at no cost to you.
All services provided on an Image Clear Ultrasound mobile medical unit are free and confidential.
No insurance is required.
Explanation of Services
Pregnancy Tests – How they work
Urine pregnancy tests detect the presence of a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. Levels of this hormone increase rapidly in early pregnancy. Most pregnancy tests can detect levels of hCG as early as 10 days after conception.
If you perform a pregnancy test too soon, you may not have sufficient hCG levels for the test to detect, so you could get a negative test result. Urine pregnancy tests are accurate, but the detailed instructions must be followed. The Image Clear Ultrasound Nurse or Sonographer and other trained staff on the mobile unit help assure your test is performed accurately.
Ultrasound – What it is
Ultrasound is energy in the form of sound waves. During an ultrasound exam, a transducer (the name for the handheld device) sends sound waves through the body. The sound waves encounter tissues, body fluids, and bones. The waves then bounce back, like echoes. The transducer receives these echoes, which are turned into images. The images can be viewed as pictures on a video screen.
What is a limited obstetric ultrasound exam?
A limited obstetric ultrasound exam is performed to answer a few specific questions in the first trimester of pregnancy. On the mobile unit, the nurse or sonographer uses this ultrasound to
- determine that your baby is developing in your uterus
- determine your baby’s heart rate
- determine the gestational age of your baby (age from the first day of your last menstrual period) which will help provide an estimated due date
This ultrasound will not be used to identify birth defects or the sex of your baby.
How is an ultrasound exam performed?
During a pelvic ultrasound exam, the probe is either moved across your abdomen (belly–a transabdominal ultrasound) or placed in your vagina (a transvaginal ultrasound). Transvaginal ultrasounds are typically performed if the nurse/sonographer is unable to obtain a clear image of your baby with a transabdominal ultrasound; however, the policies of each mobile are set by its medical director. Each nurse/sonographer will follow the instructions of its medical director.
What happens during a transabdominal ultrasound exam?
You will lie on a table with your belly exposed from the lower part of the ribs to the hips. A gel is applied to the surface of your belly. This improves contact of the transducer with the skin. The transducer then is moved along your belly to perform the ultrasound exam.
What happens during a transvaginal ultrasound exam?
You will be given privacy in the ultrasound exam room to undress from the waist down then cover yourself with a drape. You will lie on your back with your feet in stirrups, like you would for a pelvic exam. The transducer for this exam is shaped like a wand. It is covered with a latex sheath and lubricated before it is inserted into the vagina like a tampon. If you have a latex allergy, the nurse/sonographer will use a non-latex sheath.
What are the risks of ultrasound exams?
Currently, there is no evidence that ultrasound is harmful to a developing baby. No links have been found between ultrasound and birth defects, childhood cancer, or developmental problems later in life. However, it is possible that effects could be identified in the future. For this reason, it is recommended that ultrasound exams be performed only for medical reasons by qualified health care professionals. Casual use of ultrasound, meaning ultrasound for non-medical purposes during pregnancy, should be avoided.
What You Should Know
- All services are free and confidential
- No insurance is needed
- Photo ID is encouraged
- Walk-ins are welcome
- Mobile team includes a licensed, registered nurse with sonography training or a sonographer (RDMS)
- Mobile team includes trained client advocates
- Urine pregnancy test
- Ultrasounds are typically offered from 6 to 13 weeks LMP, though this may vary by location
- No gender reveals
- Ultrasound photos provided
- Options consultation provided
- Non-judgmental and confidential services
- Referrals to community agencies
All services provided on an Image Clear Ultrasound mobile medical unit are free and confidential.
No insurance is required.
Appointment Overview
- Welcomed with a smile
- General information taken
- Pregnancy test
- Medical history review
- Pregnancy test results
- Consultation
- Discussion of resources needed
- Ultrasound performed, if applicable
- Ultrasound photos provided
- Discharge with resource info
- Follow up by phone or text
What Clients Say
- “The inside of the mobile is bigger than I thought!”
- “I’m glad I came.”
- “Can I come back?”
- “I’m going to tell my friend/sister.”
- “I remembered seeing the mobile here before, so I came today for a pregnancy test.”
- “The referral resources you provided were helpful.”
- “Professional”
- “So helpful”
All Services Offered are Free
Pregnancy Testing, Ultrasound, and Community Referrals