Coil Check Ultrasound in London
Confirms your coil sits correctly inside the womb — and finds it if it has moved. Explained on screen as we scan, by the sonographer scanning you.
- 30-minute appointment — unhurried, where most clinics allow 20
- Position confirmed, or malposition and expulsion identified
- Findings explained during the scan, before you leave
- Written report usually with you within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is a coil check ultrasound?
A coil check is a pelvic ultrasound that answers one question precisely: is your coil where it should be? Both types — the copper IUD and the hormonal IUS — sit inside the cavity of the womb, and they only work reliably from that position.
The scan shows the device, measures where it sits relative to the top of the cavity, and confirms it has not moved down, rotated, or begun to pass out. Where a coil cannot be found in the womb at all, that is important information in itself — it means either it has been expelled without you noticing, or it has moved outside the cavity.
Why coil position matters
A coil that has shifted downwards, rotated, or partly passed into the cervix may no longer prevent pregnancy reliably — and it commonly causes pain, irregular bleeding or discomfort for a partner. Expulsion is most likely in the first few months after fitting, and it can happen without you noticing.
The threads are the usual reassurance, but they are an imperfect one: they can retract out of reach while the coil sits perfectly, and they can occasionally still be felt when it has moved. Ultrasound settles what fingers cannot.
- You cannot feel your threads
- Routine check around six weeks after fitting
- Pain, cramping or bleeding since it was fitted
- Your partner can feel the coil during sex
- You think it may have come out
- You want it checked before relying on it again
- Whether the coil is inside the womb cavity
- Its position relative to the top of the cavity
- Rotation, downward displacement or partial expulsion
- Whether it appears to sit within the womb wall
- The womb, lining and both ovaries
- Fibroids or other findings that affect position
A coil that has shifted or been expelled may not be preventing pregnancy. Until its position is confirmed, use condoms or another method — and speak to your GP or sexual health clinic, who fit and remove coils. Severe pelvic pain with fever, or heavy bleeding, needs same-day assessment through NHS 111 or your GP rather than a booked scan.
Is a coil check right for me?
A coil check is a good fit if any of these sound like you:
- ✓You cannot feel your threads and want to know the coil is still there
- ✓You are around six weeks past fitting and want the routine check
- ✓You have had pain or bleeding since it was fitted
- ✓Your partner can feel it during sex
- ✓You have been told the threads cannot be seen at a smear or GP check
- ✓You want confirmation before relying on it as your only contraception
And when it is not the right booking
You want the coil fitted, removed or replaced — we are a diagnostic clinic and do not fit or remove coils. That is your GP or a sexual health clinic.
You have severe pain with fever — that needs same-day assessment through NHS 111 or your GP, not a booked scan.
The coil cannot be found on a scan — locating a device outside the womb needs an X-ray, which we do not offer. The report will say so plainly and your GP arranges it.
If a scan is not what your situation needs, we will say so before you book — not after.
What to expect on the day
- 1
Booking — tell us what has happenedWhether you cannot feel the threads, have had pain, or think it may have come out. It shapes what we look for. No referral needed, 30 minutes.
- 2
PreparationArrive with a comfortably full bladder in case we start abdominally. If we move to a transvaginal scan you empty it first.
- 3
The scanA transvaginal scan gives much the clearest view of a coil and is the usual approach. A female chaperone is present during intimate scans, and you may decline or stop at any point.
- 4
What we measureWhether the device sits in the cavity, how far it is from the top of the womb, whether it has rotated or dropped, and whether any part appears embedded in the wall.
- 5
The rest of the pelvisThe womb, lining and both ovaries are assessed in the same appointment — fibroids and other findings can explain both symptoms and a coil that will not stay put.
- 6
ResultsExplained on screen as we scan, with the written report usually with you within two hours — written for your GP or sexual health clinic if anything needs doing.
Understanding coil position
Where it should be, how it moves, and why the threads are not the answer.
Where a coil should sit
Inside the cavity of the womb, near the top, with its arms open across the fundus. From there it works as intended and is rarely felt.
How it moves
Downward displacement into the lower womb or cervix is the usual pattern, most often in the first months after fitting and sometimes during a heavy period. It can slip out entirely without being noticed.
Why threads mislead
Threads can retract upward while the coil sits perfectly, and can occasionally remain palpable when it has moved. They are a rough guide, not a position check — which is what ultrasound provides.
What the scan may show
Know it is where it should be
A 30-minute appointment that settles the question, explained on screen as we scan, with your report usually within two hours.
How we run coil checks
Scanned by the person explaining it
The sonographer performing your scan talks you through it and writes your report.
The whole pelvis, not just the device
Womb, lining and both ovaries assessed too — fibroids and other findings often explain symptoms a coil gets blamed for.
Chaperone as standard
A female chaperone is present during intimate scans, and you can stop the examination at any point without giving a reason.
Honest routing
We do not fit or remove coils. If yours needs replacing or locating, the report goes to your GP or sexual health clinic with what they need.
Coil check ultrasound — your questions answered
I cannot feel my threads. Does that mean the coil has come out?
When should I have a coil check after fitting?
Is it a transvaginal scan?
Can you tell me if my coil still works?
Do you fit or remove coils?
What if the coil is not in the right place?
Can my coil be checked during a period?
Does the scan hurt?
Do I need a full bladder?
Will I get a report I can show my GP?
Where to go from here
Womb, lining and ovaries assessed in full.
See the scan →
SymptomsHeavy Periods — Causes
What counts as heavy, and what a scan can find.
Read the guide →
SymptomsPelvic Pain — When to Scan
What the pattern of pain suggests and when it is urgent.
Read the guide →
First internal scan? Read what to expect from a transvaginal scan.
Where can you get a coil check in London?
Our clinic is at 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED — a quiet mews three minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate, serving Kensington, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Bayswater and central London.
Short-notice appointments are often available. Call 0203 051 6506 for today’s availability.
Getting here
By tube: Notting Hill Gate — three minutes’ walk.
By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.
By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.
Settle the question in half an hour
Coil position confirmed or malposition identified, with the womb, lining and ovaries assessed in the same appointment — explained on screen as we scan, report usually within two hours.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415 — over 20 years’ experience in NHS and private ultrasound · Reviewed 10 August 2026