Harley Street Medical District · Central London & St Albans
A follicle tracking scan London appointment costs £219 per scan at London Private Ultrasound. Also called a follicular tracking scan, an ovulation scan, a follicle scan or a cycle monitoring scan, it is a short series of ultrasound scans across one menstrual cycle that measures follicle growth and endometrial lining thickness to pinpoint ovulation. Most cycles need 2 to 4 scans. Used for natural conception, ovulation induction, IUI and IVF monitoring. No GP referral, female sonographer on request, report within 24 hours.
Ovulation kits and apps predict from dates. A follicle ultrasound looks directly at the ovary and measures what is actually there — which follicle is leading, how fast it is growing, and whether your lining is keeping pace. Our fertility monitoring runs seven days a week across two clinics, and if your fertility clinic is running your cycle we scan to their protocol and send the measurements straight to them.
| Price | £219 per scan, written report included. A typical cycle of 2 to 4 scans costs £438 to £876 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Follicular tracking scan · follicle scan · ovulation scan · ovulation monitoring · cycle monitoring scan · egg tracking scan · follicular monitoring ultrasound · follicle ultrasound |
| What is measured | Number and diameter of follicles in each ovary · the dominant follicle · endometrial thickness and pattern · signs of ovulation after release |
| Not the same as | An antral follicle count (AFC), which is a single day 2 to 5 scan measuring ovarian reserve |
| When tracking starts | Usually cycle day 8 to 10, earlier for short cycles, or day 2 to 5 for a baseline before a medicated cycle |
| Scan interval | Every 1 to 3 days until ovulation is confirmed |
| Method | Transvaginal for accuracy, only with your consent. Transabdominal alternative always available. No radiation |
| Duration | 15 to 20 minutes per appointment |
| Preparation | None for a transvaginal scan. Comfortably full bladder if scanning abdominally. Bring your clinic protocol and medication details |
| Who performs it | A registered Consultant Sonographer. Female clinicians on request at no extra cost |
| GP referral | Not required — self-refer and book directly online |
| Results | Measurements explained on the day · written report within 24 hours · sent to your fertility clinic on request |
| Where and when | 27 Welbeck Street, London W1G 8EN · 54–56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ · 7 days a week, 9am to 7pm |
Choose your clinic, date and time below. Tracking is time-critical, so if the day you need is not showing, call 020 7101 3377 and we will find a slot rather than let you miss your window.
Every appointment produces the same set of numbers, so the measurements can be compared visit to visit. That comparison is the whole point of tracking — a single scan tells you a follicle exists, a series tells you what it is doing.
How many follicles are developing on each side. In a natural cycle you would expect one to take the lead. In a medicated cycle the number matters for both the chance of success and the risk of over-response.
Each significant follicle is measured across two or three planes and a mean diameter recorded. Follicles typically grow around 1 to 2 mm a day once one becomes dominant.
The leading follicle is identified and followed across the cycle, which is what allows your fertile window to be estimated rather than guessed from calendar dates.
The womb lining is measured in millimetres and its appearance described. Most fertility clinics look for around 7 mm or more with a trilaminar three-layer pattern near ovulation.
After release the follicle collapses and a corpus luteum forms, often with a little free fluid in the pelvis. A scan one to three days after the expected date can confirm ovulation on imaging.
Ovarian cysts, fibroids, polyps and endometrial irregularity are all visible on the same scan and are reported if seen, because they can affect both conception and implantation.
What follicle tracking cannot tell you. Ultrasound cannot measure egg quality, confirm that your fallopian tubes are open, or assess sperm. A follicle of the right size does not guarantee a mature egg inside it. Tracking is one part of a fertility assessment and is usually combined with hormone bloods such as AMH, LH, FSH and progesterone, and where relevant a tubal test arranged by your fertility specialist.
Day 1 is the first day of full menstrual flow, not spotting. The table below is based on a 28-day cycle. If your cycle is longer or shorter, the whole sequence shifts and your sonographer adjusts your return dates at each visit.
| Cycle day | What is usually visible | Why it is scanned |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2–5 | Small resting antral follicles, 2 to 10 mm, in both ovaries. Thin lining. | Baseline scan. Standard before a medicated cycle, and the correct window if you want an antral follicle count rather than tracking. |
| Day 6–8 | Several follicles of similar size. No clear leader yet. | Starting point for short cycles, or where a fertility clinic has asked for early monitoring on stimulation. |
| Day 9–11 | A dominant follicle usually emerges, commonly 10 to 14 mm. Lining beginning to thicken. | The most common first tracking scan in a natural cycle. Establishes which follicle to follow. |
| Day 12–14 | Dominant follicle typically 16 to 20 mm and growing 1 to 2 mm a day. Lining often trilaminar at 7 mm or more. | The critical window. Ovulation commonly follows within 24 to 48 hours of the follicle reaching maturity. |
| Day 14–16 | Follicle at 18 to 24 mm, or already collapsed with free fluid present. | Confirms whether ovulation has occurred, or catches a follicle that is still growing in a longer cycle. |
| Day 16–18 | Corpus luteum in place of the follicle. Lining becomes homogeneous and echogenic. | Post-ovulation confirmation scan, often paired with a mid-luteal progesterone blood test. |
If your periods are irregular, this is where tracking earns its money. Prediction kits and apps assume a fairly typical cycle length, so in irregular cycles they misfire. Tracking looks at the ovary itself. We simply start a little earlier, space the first scans further apart, then tighten the interval once a dominant follicle appears. Waiting for a “normal” cycle before booking usually just costs you months.
All three start with the same ultrasound machine. What differs is when in your cycle they happen, what question your report is written to answer, and whether a doctor interprets the result with you afterwards. Booking the wrong one is the most common reason a fertility clinic sends someone back for a repeat scan. If your clinic has asked for an antral follicle count or a broader work-up before treatment, the Pelvic Health Check is the appointment they usually mean.
| This pageFollicle tracking £219 per scan |
Most bookedPelvic Health Check £599 all-inclusive |
Also bookableEndometrium Health Check £599 all-inclusive |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| The question it answers | When am I ovulating, and did it happen? | What is actually going on in my pelvis and my bloods? | Is my lining healthy, and is it ready for implantation? |
| What is measured | Follicle diameter at every visit, the dominant follicle, growth rate and endometrial thickness | Full pelvic ultrasound of ovaries, uterus, lining, cysts and fibroids, plus a 24-biomarker blood profile with CRP and CA 125 | Endometrial thickness, echotexture and polyps on a lining-focused pelvic ultrasound, plus a 31-marker blood panel including the HE4 marker |
| When in the cycle | Day 8–10 onwards, repeated to ovulation | Any point in the cycle, so you can book it while you wait for the right tracking window | Any point in the cycle, or timed to ovulation or your transfer date |
| Number of appointments | A series, usually 2 to 4 | Two visits: scan and bloods first, then a 30-minute GP session and pharmacist medication review once results are back | Two visits: ultrasound and bloods first, then a 30-minute GP consultation and pharmacist medication review |
| What it is best at | Showing change over time, so ovulation can be timed in advance and confirmed afterwards | Giving you imaging, bloods and a doctor to interpret both in one coordinated pathway, which is why it is our most booked women’s pelvic appointment | The most detailed lining assessment we offer, with a GP to read it alongside your bloods rather than leaving you with a report and no interpretation |
| Commonly booked with | Mid-luteal progesterone bloods, IUI and IVF cycles | Follicle tracking in the same cycle, and optional AMH or hormone add-ons | Follicle tracking in the same cycle, and before embryo transfer |
| Choose this if | You are timing conception, on ovulation induction, or your clinic has given you cycle days to attend | You want the full picture before treatment, or you have pelvic pain, heavy or irregular bleeding, suspected fibroids, cyst or PCOS concerns alongside trying to conceive | You have had a thin lining, recurrent implantation failure, a transfer coming up, or heavy, irregular or postmenopausal bleeding alongside it |
| Next step | Book Follicle Tracking · £219 | Book Pelvic Health Check · £599Our most booked women’s pelvic appointment | Book Endometrium Health Check · £599 |
There is no fixed tracking package. You book one scan at a time, and at each visit your sonographer tells you whether you need to come back and when. Below is what most patients end up having, by situation.
| Your situation | Typical scans | Usual days | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural cycle, regular periods, timing intercourse | 2–3 | Day 10, day 12–13, then a confirmation scan | £438–£657 |
| Natural cycle, irregular or long periods | 3–4 | Starts day 8–10, repeated every 2–3 days | £657–£876 |
| Ovulation induction — letrozole or clomifene | 3–4 | Baseline day 2–5, then day 10, 12 and 14 | £657–£876 |
| IUI cycle monitoring | 3–4 | Directed by your clinic, usually day 8 onwards | £657–£876 |
| IVF stimulation monitoring | 3–5 | Baseline, then every 2–3 days to trigger | £657–£1,095 |
| Confirming ovulation only, one visit | 1 | 1–3 days after expected ovulation | £219 |
A note on over-response. If you are taking ovulation-induction medication and a scan shows several large follicles developing at once, that raises the chance of a multiple pregnancy and, in stimulated cycles, of ovarian hyperstimulation. Your report states clearly what was seen so your prescribing doctor can decide whether to proceed, adjust the dose or cancel the cycle. We do not prescribe or alter fertility medication — that stays with the doctor running your treatment.
Tracking appointments are deliberately short, because you will be coming back in a couple of days. Expect 15 to 20 minutes door to door.
We check the first day of your last period, your usual cycle length, any medication you are taking and, if you have one, the monitoring protocol from your fertility clinic.
Transvaginal imaging gives the resolution needed to measure small follicles reliably, so it is the usual approach. It is only done with your consent, and a transabdominal scan is offered instead if you prefer.
Both ovaries are examined systematically. Every significant follicle is measured, the dominant one identified, and endometrial thickness and pattern recorded.
Your sonographer talks you through the measurements, compares them with your previous visit where relevant, and gives an indication of where you are in the cycle.
Based on today’s follicle size and growth rate, you are told whether to return and when — usually in one to three days. You book only what you need.
Every measurement in writing, in a format your fertility clinic recognises. With your consent it is sent directly to your named consultant or clinic, in the UK or abroad.
Very little preparation is needed. Getting the cycle day right and bringing the right paperwork matters far more than anything else.
Day 1 is the first day of full menstrual bleeding, not spotting. Getting this wrong by a day or two is the most common reason a first tracking scan is booked too early or too late.
If a fertility clinic is running your cycle, bring their monitoring instructions and the name and email of your consultant. We scan to their protocol and report in the format they expect.
Letrozole, clomifene, gonadotrophins, trigger injections and hormonal contraception all change what we see. Tell us what you are taking and on which days, so the report reads correctly.
For a transvaginal scan, come with an empty bladder. If you are having a transabdominal scan instead, drink around 500 ml to 1 litre of water an hour before and do not empty beforehand.
If you would rather not have a transvaginal scan, or have never been sexually active, say so at booking. We scan abdominally instead, though follicles under about 10 mm are harder to measure precisely that way.
Allow around 20 minutes per visit. Wear two-piece clothing so the lower abdomen is easy to access. There is no need to schedule every appointment in advance, as your sonographer confirms each return date after the scan.
The follicular scan cost here is £219 per scan, with the report included and nothing added afterwards. You pay per appointment, so a cycle that needs two scans costs two scans. The follicle scan price is the same at both clinics and on weekends.
| Pelvic ultrasound by a registered Consultant Sonographer | Included |
| Follicle count and diameter, both ovaries | Included |
| Dominant follicle identified and tracked between visits | Included |
| Endometrial thickness and pattern | Included |
| Transvaginal imaging where you consent | Included |
| Female sonographer on request | No extra charge |
| Measurements explained on the day | Included |
| Written report within 24 hours | Included |
| Report sent to your fertility clinic, UK or overseas | No extra charge |
| Per scan | £219 |
A typical cycle of 2 to 4 scans therefore costs £438 to £876. Hormone blood tests such as AMH, LH, FSH, oestradiol and progesterone are priced separately and can usually be taken at the same appointment.
If you have been searching for a follicle tracking scan near me, we run follicle tracking scan London appointments from two CQC-registered clinics, open seven days a week from 9am to 7pm. Weekend availability matters more for tracking than for any other scan, because cycle day 13 does not move to suit the working week.
27 Welbeck Street, London W1G 8EN
Two minutes from Bond Street and five from Oxford Circus. Convenient for Marylebone, Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Soho, Baker Street, Paddington, the City and anyone travelling in on the Elizabeth line. Close to most Harley Street and Wimpole Street fertility clinics, so tracking here fits easily around consultant appointments.
54–56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ
A short walk from St Albans City station, with parking nearby. Convenient for Harpenden, Hatfield, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Radlett, Borehamwood and north London if you would rather not travel into town every other day.
Female Consultant Sonographers are available on request at no extra cost, and most women booking tracking ask for one. Tell us when you book and we will allocate the same clinician across your cycle wherever possible, which keeps measurements consistent between visits.
Gynaecological, fertility and pelvic ultrasound · HCPC registered
Advanced Practitioner Sonographer · HCPC · SoR
Women’s health and pelvic ultrasound · HCPC registered
MD · MRCGP · DRCOG · GMC 6060555 · Clinical governance
Editorial and clinical review. This page was prepared with AI-assisted editorial support and reviewed for clinical accuracy by Mr Pedram M. Aghaei, Vascular Scientist and Ultrasound Consultant (SVT 00679, RCT CT04905) and Dr Babak Soleimanpour MD MRCGP DRCOG, Medical Director and GMC-registered GP (GMC 6060555). Reviewed 6 August 2026, next review due 28 February 2027. Sources include NICE NG257, NHS infertility diagnosis guidance, the HFEA and BMUS safety statements.
London Private Ultrasound is registered with the Care Quality Commission and the Information Commissioner’s Office. Every clinician who scans and reports for you holds current registration with the bodies below, and we work to the standards they set.
The questions patients ask most often about follicular tracking, ovulation timing, cost and cycle monitoring in London.
A follicle tracking scan is a series of short pelvic ultrasound scans across one menstrual cycle that measure the growing follicles in your ovaries and the thickness of your womb lining. Each follicle is a fluid-filled sac containing an egg. By measuring the same follicles every few days, your sonographer can see which one is becoming dominant, estimate when ovulation is likely, and confirm afterwards whether it happened. It is also called follicular tracking, ovulation tracking or a cycle monitoring scan.
A follicle tracking scan at London Private Ultrasound costs £219 per scan, and that price includes the ultrasound, your measurements, verbal findings on the day and a written report within 24 hours. Because tracking is a series, most patients have 2 to 4 scans in a cycle, so a typical natural or medicated cycle costs £438 to £876 in total. There is no package lock-in, you only pay for the scans you actually attend.
Most cycles need 2 to 4 scans. A natural cycle in a woman with regular periods often needs only 2 or 3. Ovulation induction with letrozole or clomifene usually needs 3 or 4, because the response to medication is less predictable. IVF and IUI monitoring is directed by your fertility clinic and may need 3 to 5. Your sonographer tells you at each visit when to come back, so you never book more scans than you need.
Tracking usually starts between day 8 and day 10 of your cycle, counting day 1 as the first day of full flow. If your cycles are long, tracking starts later; if they are short, it starts earlier, sometimes day 6 or 7. Medicated cycles often begin with a baseline scan on day 2 to day 5 before stimulation starts. Scans are then repeated every 1 to 3 days until ovulation is confirmed.
A follicle is generally considered mature at around 18 to 24 mm in mean diameter, and most ovulate somewhere in that range. Follicles grow at roughly 1 to 2 mm a day once a dominant follicle has been established, which is why scans are spaced every one to three days near the middle of the cycle. Size alone does not guarantee that the egg inside is mature, which is why the endometrial lining and, in medicated cycles, hormone levels are assessed alongside it.
Yes. Ovulation scan, follicle scan, follicular scan, egg tracking scan, ovulation monitoring and cycle monitoring scan are all names for the same thing, and clinics in London use them interchangeably. A fertility scan London clinics advertise is usually different again: that normally means a single baseline pelvic scan with an antral follicle count on day 2 to 5, not a series through mid-cycle. If you are unsure which one your doctor meant, call us with the wording they used and we will tell you which appointment to book.
Follicle tracking is available on the NHS, but usually only once you are inside a funded fertility pathway, and access varies considerably by area and by clinical commissioning criteria such as age, BMI and how long you have been trying. It is rarely offered simply to time intercourse in a natural cycle. Because tracking has to happen on particular cycle days, waiting lists are the practical problem rather than cost, which is why most people who book privately are either outside NHS criteria, being treated abroad, or cannot get scan dates that match their cycle.
No, although they are often confused. An antral follicle count is a single scan, done early in the cycle on day 2 to day 5, that counts the small resting follicles of 2 to 10 mm in both ovaries to estimate ovarian reserve. Follicle tracking is a series of scans through the middle of the cycle that follows one or more follicles as they grow towards ovulation. AFC answers how many eggs you have in reserve; tracking answers when you are going to release one. If you want an AFC, book the fertility ultrasound assessment rather than tracking.
Yes. After ovulation the dominant follicle collapses and is replaced by a corpus luteum, and a small amount of free fluid is often seen in the pelvis. A scan performed one to three days after the expected date can show these changes, which is how ovulation is confirmed on imaging. A mid-luteal progesterone blood test around seven days before your next period is the usual biochemical confirmation and pairs well with the scan.
No. The scan itself is painless. Follicle tracking is normally performed transvaginally because it gives a much clearer view of small follicles, and a slim probe with a fresh protective cover is used. Most women describe mild pressure rather than pain. You can ask for the scan to pause or stop at any point, and a transabdominal scan is always offered as an alternative.
Not for a transvaginal scan, which is the usual method, and you will be asked to empty your bladder first. If you are having a transabdominal scan instead, arrive with a comfortably full bladder, roughly 500 ml to 1 litre of water finished about an hour before your appointment.
No. You can self-refer and book a follicle tracking scan directly. If your fertility clinic has given you a monitoring protocol, bring it and we will follow it, and with your consent we send your report and measurements straight to them.
Yes. With your written consent your report is sent directly to your named fertility consultant or clinic, in the UK or internationally, usually the same day. We regularly monitor patients whose IVF or IUI cycle is being run overseas and who need reliable follicle measurements taken in London.
Yes, and often more so. When cycles are irregular, ovulation prediction kits and calendar apps become unreliable because they assume a fairly typical cycle length. Tracking looks directly at the ovary rather than inferring from dates. In irregular cycles we usually start a little earlier and space scans more widely, then tighten the interval once a dominant follicle appears.
Most fertility clinics look for a lining of about 7 mm or more with a trilaminar, three-layer appearance around the time of ovulation or embryo transfer. A thinner lining does not rule out pregnancy, but it is a finding your fertility specialist will want to know about, which is why the endometrium is measured at every tracking scan and recorded in your report.
Yes, and this is one of the commonest reasons for booking. Tracking shows how many follicles are responding, whether the dose is producing a single dominant follicle or several, and whether the lining is thickening. It is also the safest way to spot an over-response before it becomes a problem. We follow the plan set by your prescribing doctor.
Tracking is a monitoring tool rather than a treatment, so it does not have a success rate of its own. Used with timed intercourse in a natural cycle, published pregnancy rates per cycle are broadly in the region of 10 per cent and depend heavily on age, sperm quality and tubal patency. The value of tracking is precision: it tells you and your clinician what your ovaries are actually doing, so decisions are based on measurements rather than guesswork.
The day of your cycle matters far more than the hour. Where possible we suggest keeping your appointments at a similar time of day across the cycle so the interval between measurements is consistent, and many fertility clinics prefer morning slots so results can be acted on the same day. If your clinic has specified a time, tell us at booking.
Yes, at no extra cost. We have three female Consultant Sonographers and most women booking tracking ask for one. Say so when you book and we will allocate your appointments accordingly, including the follow-up scans in the same cycle.
We scan at 27 Welbeck Street in the Harley Street Medical District, W1G 8EN, which is two minutes from Bond Street and convenient for Marylebone, Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Soho and the City, and at 54 to 56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ for Hertfordshire and north London. Both are CQC registered and open seven days a week from 9am to 7pm, which matters when your next scan falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
Same-day and next-day appointments are usually available, which is important because tracking has to happen on specific cycle days. Your sonographer explains the measurements before you leave and the written report follows within 24 hours.
Yes. Diagnostic ultrasound uses sound waves rather than ionising radiation, so there is no cumulative dose and no known harm from repeated scanning at diagnostic levels. Women undergoing IVF are routinely scanned several times per cycle, often over several consecutive cycles.
It happens, and it is useful information rather than bad news. If no dominant follicle develops, or a follicle grows but does not release, your report records what was seen and when. That is exactly the evidence a GP, gynaecologist or fertility specialist needs to consider ovulation induction, hormone testing or referral, and it saves several months of trying without answers.
Not sure which one answers your question? See all 12 scans in our Pelvic Clinic, or call 020 7101 3377 and we will tell you before you pay.
The day 2 to 5 baseline scan, including antral follicle count and ovarian reserve assessment. Book this if your clinic asked for an AFC.
Detailed measurement of the womb lining, commonly requested before embryo transfer or where implantation has repeatedly failed.
Antral follicle count and ovarian volume measured against the diagnostic criteria, when irregular cycles suggest polycystic ovaries.
General assessment of the uterus, ovaries and endometrium for pain, heavy bleeding or a suspected cyst.
Coronal-plane imaging of the uterine cavity, used where a septum, a congenital uterine difference or cavity distortion is suspected.
AMH, LH, FSH, oestradiol, progesterone, thyroid and prolactin, taken at the same visit as your scan where possible.
Already under a fertility clinic? Our Fertility Clinic page explains how we work alongside UK and overseas IVF units, and the ultrasound in infertility guide covers what imaging can and cannot answer across the whole fertility pathway.
Medical disclaimer. This page is for general information and does not replace individual medical advice. A follicle tracking scan is a diagnostic monitoring service, not an emergency service, and it does not diagnose or treat infertility on its own. We do not prescribe or adjust fertility medication; that remains with the doctor running your treatment. Contact NHS 111, or call 999 or go to A&E, if you have sudden severe pelvic pain, pain with fainting or dizziness, rapid abdominal swelling with breathlessness during ovarian stimulation, heavy bleeding that soaks through a pad in under an hour, fever with pelvic pain, or a positive pregnancy test with one-sided pain.
