Private IUD (Coil) Check Ultrasound Scan, London

A private IUD (coil) check ultrasound at London Private Ultrasound costs £219, all-inclusive. The price covers the scan performed by a specialist, a verbal explanation of the findings at the appointment, and a written report within 24 hours. There are no hidden fees and no membership.

No. No GP referral is required — you can book directly online, by phone on 020 7101 3377 or by WhatsApp. If you have your fitting record, previous scan reports or clinic letters, bring them along: knowing which device you have and when it was fitted helps the sonographer.

Yes. Both types are identifiable on ultrasound. A copper IUD is highly visible because the copper reflects sound strongly, and hormonal IUS devices such as Mirena, Kyleena and Jaydess are located by the characteristic appearance and acoustic shadowing of their frame.

A transvaginal scan usually gives the clearest view of the device and is the most reliable way to assess its exact position — but it is only performed with your full consent. If you prefer a transabdominal-only assessment, tell the sonographer; the scan will be tailored to what you are comfortable with.

A coil check ultrasound is not usually painful. The transabdominal scan involves gentle probe pressure on the lower abdomen, and the transvaginal scan may feel briefly uncomfortable but should not hurt. The sonographer explains each step and stops at any point if you ask.

Yes. A female sonographer is available on request, at no extra cost, subject to appointment availability. Please mention it when booking.

There is no requirement for a routine scan after every fitting — FSRH guidance no longer asks for a standard follow-up appointment. A scan is the right step if your threads cannot be felt, feel longer or shorter, or you have persistent pain or a change in bleeding after the settling-in period — or simply if you would like the reassurance of seeing the device correctly placed.

Do not assume the coil has gone — threads can curl up into the cervical canal while the device remains perfectly placed. The Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) recommends ultrasound as the first-line investigation when threads cannot be seen or felt, and advises using additional contraception until the device’s position is confirmed.

If ultrasound does not find the device in the uterus, the FSRH pathway is an abdominal X-ray to tell the difference between unnoticed expulsion and the rare case of perforation, where the device has passed through the uterine wall. Your written report sets this out clearly so your GP or sexual health clinic can arrange the X-ray and next steps promptly, and you should use additional contraception in the meantime.

The NHS estimates that around 1 in 20 coils are expelled, most often in the first three months after fitting. Perforation is much rarer — FSRH guidance puts it at around 1 to 2 per 1,000 insertions. Both are exactly what this scan is designed to detect or rule out.

Yes — bleeding does not usually prevent a coil check, and the scan can normally go ahead. If you would feel more comfortable rescheduling, that is entirely fine; call or WhatsApp the clinic and the team will move your appointment.

No — this is a diagnostic scan. London Private Ultrasound checks the device’s position and provides a written report the same or next day, which your GP, sexual health clinic or gynaecologist can use to plan removal, replacement or follow-up. The report is written in plain English and is suitable for NHS or private onward referral.

Yes, and this situation should be assessed promptly. An ultrasound checks where the pregnancy is developing and where the device is sitting, which is exactly the information your doctor needs to plan safe next steps. Same-day appointments are often available — call 020 7101 3377 rather than booking online if you need to be seen urgently.

For the transabdominal part, a comfortably full bladder helps: drink around one litre of water about an hour before the appointment and try not to empty your bladder. If a transvaginal scan is performed, an empty bladder is preferred — you can use the bathroom between the two parts.

The sonographer explains the main findings during the appointment itself, and a written diagnostic report follows within 24 hours, suitable for your GP, sexual health clinic, gynaecologist or private specialist.

Yes. Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than ionising radiation, is the standard first-line way to assess an intrauterine device, and does not move, heat or affect the coil in any way.

At either clinic: 27 Welbeck Street, London W1G 8EN, in the Harley Street medical district, or 54–56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ. Same-day appointments are often available at both.

The IUD (coil) check is a standard 2D pelvic ultrasound focused on locating the device and confirming its position, at £219. The 3D pelvic ultrasound (£269) adds three-dimensional reconstruction of the uterus and cavity — the better choice when embedment is suspected, when the uterus has an unusual shape, or when an earlier scan has left the position unclear. If your coil check finds something that needs that extra detail, the team will tell you and you can upgrade.