Some suggest that pregnancy resource clinics should offer only a limited ultrasound scan (a term which itself is not well defined) and should not perform scans of adnexa (the tissues and organs surrounding the uterus) routinely.

Their rationale is that women being scanned are generally asymptomatic, and therefore clinic resources would be expended unnecessarily. More importantly, legal liability issues exist if the scan or interpretation of the scan of the fetus and pelvic anatomy does not detect an existing medical problem.

Women who go to these centers should be referred to other physicians for regular prenatal care, and should be referred immediately if they present with symptoms.

On the other hand, some clinics are striving to expand their medical care. Their object is not only to influence women who may be considering abortion, but also to convert their pregnancy resource center to a more comprehensive medical clinic, possibly involving complete prenatal care.

In this case, the possibility of legal liability (and its implications for the clinic) may not be as large as it might be with smaller pregnancy resource clinics, and comprehensive ultrasound scans may be performed more routinely.

The level of ultrasound services offered by a pregnancy resource clinic should be determined by the mission of the clinic, and at the discretion and direction of the clinic’s board and medical director.

If the clinic’s mission is solely to help pregnant women choose life, the best ultrasound option might be to perform limited scans while referring to other physicians and clinics for prenatal care.

If the clinic’s mission is medically broader, the clinic’s board and medical director might deem it appropriate for that clinic to offer more comprehensive scanning, as medically indicated.