On this page
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Assessment online. A doctor can check whether the copper coil suits you and help with side effects and problems; fitting and removal are in person.
- How well it works: over 99% effective: fewer than 1 in 100 users become pregnant in a year. It works as soon as it is fitted.
- How long it lasts: 5 or 10 years, depending on the type. Fitted at 40 or over, it can usually stay in until after the menopause.
- No hormones: it works through copper. Periods can become heavier, longer or more painful, often for the first few months.
- Emergency: call 112 for sudden, severe pain low in the tummy with fainting or feeling very unwell, especially if you could be pregnant.
Do not book a video appointment for sudden, severe pain low in the tummy, pain with fainting or feeling very unwell, or a positive pregnancy test with pain while you have a coil: call 112 or go to an emergency department. Pain that painkillers do not help, a high temperature or smelly discharge after a fitting needs an in-person check promptly.
Can an online doctor help with the copper coil?
No, the copper coil cannot be fitted online: a trained doctor or nurse places it in the womb, usually at a sexual health clinic or a doctor’s surgery, and removes it the same way. What a doctor can do by video is check whether it suits you, compare it with the other methods, prepare you for the fitting, and help with problems once it is in, such as heavy periods, threads you cannot feel or a possible pregnancy, and tell you where to go when you need an examination.
How an online consultation helps with the copper coil
- Is it right for you?: Your periods, your health history and your plans, and how the copper coil compares with the hormonal coil, the implant and the pill.
- Ready for the fitting: What happens on the day, how to manage the pain, and the tests you may be offered first.
- Help with side effects: Heavier or painful periods, bleeding between periods and cramps, and when they need an examination.
- Problems sorted promptly: Missing threads, a possible pregnancy, or a coil that is due for a change while you are away from home.
What the doctor checks in an online copper coil consultation
The doctor asks about the warning signs first, then about your periods, your health and your plans. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: severe or worsening tummy pain, a high temperature, smelly discharge, very heavy bleeding, or a chance you are pregnant.
- Your periods: how heavy and painful they are now, because the copper coil can make both worse.
- Your health: pelvic infections, sexually transmitted infections, fibroids or other problems with the womb or cervix, and bleeding between periods or after sex.
- Pregnancy and birth: the date of your last period, recent unprotected sex, a recent birth, and breastfeeding.
- Your plans: how long you want contraception for, and whether you prefer a method without hormones.
- A coil you already have: when it was fitted, which type it is, and whether you can feel the threads.
Before the call, note the date of your last period and, if you have a coil, the date it was fitted. You do not need to show anything on camera.
What is the copper coil, and how does it work?
The copper coil, or intrauterine device (IUD), is a small T-shaped device made of plastic and copper that a trained doctor or nurse places in the womb. It contains no hormones. The copper stops sperm and an egg from meeting and being fertilised, and it works as soon as it is fitted.
- How well it works: over 99% effective. In UK guidance, about 0.8 in 100 users become pregnant in the first year with typical use.
- How long it lasts: 5 or 10 years, depending on the type.
- Over 40: a copper coil fitted at 40 or over can usually stay in until the menopause, and is removed a year after your last period if that is after 50.
- As emergency contraception: it is the most effective emergency method, fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
- Fertility: it returns to your usual level as soon as the coil is removed.
- Infections: it does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, so condoms are still needed for that.
What does a copper coil do to the body?
It works inside the womb and does not change your hormones, so your natural cycle carries on and your periods stay regular. The main change most people notice is in their periods, which can become heavier, longer or more painful, often for the first few months. Studies do not show that coils cause weight gain.
Copper coil or hormonal coil: which is better?
Neither is better for everyone. Both are among the most effective methods there are; the copper coil suits people who want no hormones, and the hormonal coil suits people with heavy or painful periods.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Copper coil (IUD) | Hormonal coil (IUS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hormones | None | A progestogen, levonorgestrel, mostly acting in the womb |
| Pregnancies in the first year | About 0.8 in 100 with typical use | About 0.2 to 0.3 in 100 |
| Starts working | As soon as it is fitted | Straight away if fitted in the first 5 days of your cycle; otherwise after 7 days |
| How long it lasts | 5 or 10 years | 3 to 8 years, depending on the type |
| Periods | Can become heavier, longer or more painful | Usually lighter, shorter and less painful; they may stop |
| Heavy periods | Can make them worse | A treatment for heavy periods |
| Emergency contraception | Yes, the most effective method | No |
| With hormone replacement therapy | Contraception only | Can also protect the womb lining |
The hormonal coil page covers the hormonal options in detail, and the non-hormonal contraception page compares the copper coil with condoms, the diaphragm and sterilisation.
What happens when a copper coil is fitted, and does it hurt?
The fitting itself takes about 5 to 10 minutes, but the appointment usually lasts at least half an hour. Most people feel some pain, which ranges from mild to severe, and you can ask the doctor or nurse to stop at any time.
- You may be offered a test for sexually transmitted infections and a pregnancy test first.
- You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen about an hour before, and ask for extra pain relief, such as a local anaesthetic, if you are worried about pain.
- A speculum is placed in the vagina, as in a smear test, and the coil is passed through the cervix into the womb.
- Afterwards you may have period-like pain and some spotting for a few days.
- The doctor or nurse shows you how to feel the 2 thin threads at the top of the vagina.
You can bring a friend or a relative into the room. A copper coil can be fitted at any time in your cycle if you cannot be pregnant.
Checking the threads
Feel for the threads a few times in the first month, then regularly, for example after each period. If you cannot feel them, or they feel different, the coil may have moved: use condoms, think about emergency contraception if you have had sex, and get it checked.
Removal
A trained doctor or nurse can remove the coil at any time, and you can become pregnant straight away. If you do not want to become pregnant, use condoms or avoid sex for 7 days before it is removed, or have a new coil fitted at the same visit.
Copper coil side effects and risks
The main side effect is heavier, longer or more painful periods, and some bleeding between periods, which often improve after a few months. Serious problems are rare, and most happen in the first weeks or months:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Risk | How often | When | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelvic infection | Fewer than 1 in 100 | Mostly in the first 3 weeks after fitting | Tummy pain, a high temperature, smelly discharge |
| The coil coming out (expulsion) | About 1 in 20 | Mostly in the first year, especially the first 3 months | Threads longer or missing, the coil felt in the vagina |
| Damage to the womb (perforation) | 1 to 2 in 1,000 fittings | During fitting; more likely after childbirth and while breastfeeding | Pain that does not settle, threads you cannot feel |
| Pregnancy | Fewer than 1 in 100 a year | Any time | A missed period, a positive test |
| Ectopic pregnancy | Rare | Only if the coil fails | One-sided tummy pain, bleeding, shoulder-tip pain |
What are the downsides of a copper coil?
Heavier or more painful periods, a fitting that most people find uncomfortable and some find painful, and no protection against sexually transmitted infections. If your periods are already heavy or painful, another method may suit you better.
Why do some people say doctors do not recommend the copper coil?
Guidelines do recommend it: it is one of the most effective methods, works for up to 10 years, has no hormones and is the most effective emergency contraception. What doctors do is check it suits you, because it is not the best choice for people with heavy or painful periods, a current pelvic infection or certain problems with the womb.
Can you get pregnant with the copper coil?
Rarely: fewer than 1 in 100 users a year. If it happens, the pregnancy is more likely to be ectopic, outside the womb, than a pregnancy without a coil, so a missed period or a positive test while you have a coil needs prompt medical advice. Do a pregnancy test if your period is late, or if you have pregnancy symptoms.
Who should not use the copper coil?
It is not suitable if you might be pregnant, have a sexually transmitted infection or a pelvic infection, have problems with the womb or cervix such as fibroids or cervical cancer, or have unexplained bleeding between periods or after sex, which needs checking first. You do not need to have had a baby to use a coil.
What might the doctor recommend about the copper coil?
What happens next depends on whether you are choosing a method or already have a coil. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with UK sexual health guidance:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want long-term contraception without hormones | A suitability check, then a fitting appointment | Yes, to assess | For the fitting |
| Your periods are already heavy or painful | A discussion of the hormonal coil or another method | Yes | If the heavy bleeding needs examining |
| Heavier periods or cramps since the fitting | Pain relief, advice, and a review of whether the coil still suits you | Yes | If bleeding is very heavy, or with pain or a high temperature |
| You cannot feel the threads, or they feel different | Condoms, and emergency contraception if needed | Partly | An examination, and sometimes a scan |
| The coil is due for a change, or you want it out | Planning the removal or a new coil; condoms for 7 days before | Yes, to plan | For the removal or change |
| Pain, a high temperature or smelly discharge after a fitting | A check for infection | Partly | Examination and swabs, promptly |
| A positive pregnancy test with a coil in place | Prompt assessment, including for ectopic pregnancy | No | Urgently; call 112 for severe pain or fainting |
Not sure whether the copper coil is right for you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Copper coil care and options
What you can do yourself
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen about an hour before the fitting, and again afterwards for cramps.
- Use condoms until the fitting if you could become pregnant, and keep using them for protection against infections.
- Feel for the threads a few times in the first month, then after each period.
- Keep a note of the type of coil and the date it was fitted, so you know when it is due for a change.
- Keep a diary of bleeding and pain for a few months before deciding the coil does not suit you: things often settle.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. The copper coil itself is fitted in person, but around it the doctor may prescribe pain relief, a method to use until your fitting, such as the progestogen-only pill, or emergency contraception if a coil has come out or you cannot feel the threads. If the copper coil turns out not to suit you, the doctor can talk you through the alternatives and prescribe one when it is safe. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Trying to remove or move a coil yourself. Ignoring threads that have changed. Relying on the coil to protect you from sexually transmitted infections.
Special situations
After a birth and while breastfeeding
The copper coil is safe while breastfeeding and does not affect your baby or your milk. It can sometimes be fitted within 48 hours of a birth, but you are usually advised to wait 4 weeks. You can become pregnant from 21 days after giving birth, so use another method, such as condoms, until then.
Over 40 and around the menopause
A copper coil fitted at 40 or over can usually stay in until after the menopause. The contraception in perimenopause page explains when you can stop using contraception.
Heavy or painful periods
The copper coil can make heavy or painful periods worse, while the hormonal coil usually makes them lighter. If you have endometriosis, the endometriosis page explains which treatments help.
Living or travelling abroad
Carry a note of the type of coil and the date it was fitted. If it is due for a change, or you cannot feel the threads while you are away, a doctor by video can tell you what to do in the meantime and where it can be checked near you.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When the copper coil is assessed online, and when you need in-person care
Assessed online: choosing a method, preparing for a fitting, period changes and cramps after a fitting, emergency contraception, threads you cannot feel, and planning a removal or a change.
In-person care: fitting, removal and replacement, examinations and swabs, scans to find a coil, and any pain, high temperature or pregnancy with a coil in place.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- sudden, sharp and intense pain in the tummy, with feeling very dizzy or fainting
- severe tummy pain with a high temperature and feeling very unwell
- a positive pregnancy test with severe pain low in the tummy, especially on one side
Get medical advice the same day for:
- pain low in the tummy that painkillers do not help, or that is getting worse
- a high temperature, or abnormal or smelly discharge, after a fitting
- very heavy bleeding
- a positive pregnancy test, or pregnancy symptoms, with a coil in place
- threads you cannot feel or that feel different, especially if you have had sex
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about the coil: say what you want from contraception, how your periods are, and, if you have a coil, when it was fitted and what you have noticed.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Noticed a new symptom since having the copper coil fitted? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Hormonal Coil (IUS) can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about the copper coil
How does the copper coil work?
It is a small T-shaped device with copper that is placed in the womb. The copper stops sperm and an egg from meeting and being fertilised. It contains no hormones and works as soon as it is fitted.
How effective is the copper coil?
Over 99% effective: fewer than 1 in 100 copper coil users become pregnant in a year. Because there is nothing to remember, it works almost as well in everyday life as in studies.
How long does the copper coil last?
A copper coil lasts 5 or 10 years, depending on the type. If it is fitted when you are 40 or over, it can usually stay in until after the menopause.
Does the copper coil stop periods?
No. The copper coil does not change your hormones, so your periods carry on, and they can become heavier, longer or more painful, often for the first few months. The hormonal coil is the one that makes periods lighter and sometimes stops them.
Does getting a coil fitted hurt?
Most people feel some pain when a coil is fitted, from mild to severe, for a short time. Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen an hour before helps, you can ask for a local anaesthetic, and you can ask the doctor or nurse to stop at any time. Cramps can last a few days.
What are the side effects of the copper coil?
Heavier, longer or more painful periods and bleeding between periods are the most common side effects of the copper coil, and often improve after a few months. Rarer risks are infection in the first 3 weeks, the coil coming out, and, in 1 to 2 in 1,000 fittings, damage to the womb.
What can I do at home about heavy or painful periods with the copper coil?
Take ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory painkiller from the start of the bleeding, which eases cramps and can reduce the flow; keep a diary of bleeding and pain for a few months, because periods with the copper coil often improve after the first few months; eat iron-rich food, since heavier periods can lower your iron; and ask a doctor about tranexamic acid or an anti-inflammatory on prescription if the bleeding stays heavy.
Can you get pregnant with the copper coil?
Rarely: fewer than 1 in 100 copper coil users a year. If it happens, an ectopic pregnancy is more likely than without a coil, so a missed period or a positive test while you have a coil needs prompt medical advice.
What are the signs that a copper coil has moved or come out?
Threads you can no longer feel, threads that feel longer or shorter than before, or feeling the hard plastic end of the coil itself at the cervix are the main signs. New pain, heavier bleeding, or a partner feeling something hard during sex can also mean the copper coil has shifted. Use condoms, think about emergency contraception if you have had sex, and get it checked by a doctor or nurse, who may arrange a scan.
Which is better, the copper coil or the hormonal coil?
Neither for everyone. The copper coil has no hormones, works straight away and can be used as emergency contraception. The hormonal coil is slightly more effective and usually makes periods lighter, so it suits people with heavy or painful periods.
Does the copper coil cause weight gain?
No. Studies do not show that coils cause weight gain, and the copper coil contains no hormones, so there is no hormonal reason for it to change your appetite or weight. If your weight changes after a fitting, it is worth looking for another cause.
Can the copper coil be used as emergency contraception?
Yes. The copper coil is the most effective emergency method, fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex, or up to 5 days after the earliest likely date of ovulation, and it can then stay in as your contraception.
What happens if I cannot feel my coil threads?
The coil may have moved or come out, so you may not be protected. Use condoms, think about emergency contraception if you have had sex, and get it checked by a doctor or nurse, who may arrange a scan.
Can an online doctor fit or prescribe the copper coil?
No, the copper coil is fitted in person by a trained doctor or nurse. A doctor by video can check whether it suits you, prepare you for the fitting, help with problems once it is in, and tell you where to go.
- What is an IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil?, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 15 February 2024.
- IUD: who can get it, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 15 February 2024.
- IUD: getting it fitted or removed, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 15 February 2024.
- IUD: side effects and risks, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 15 February 2024.
- FSRH Clinical Guideline: Intrauterine Contraception, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (now the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare), March 2023, amended July 2023.
- Copper coil (Cu-IUD), Contraception Choices, College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (UK), accessed 15 October 2026.
- What is an IUS (intrauterine system) or hormonal coil?, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 22 February 2024.
- IUS: getting it fitted or removed, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 22 February 2024.
- Emergency contraception: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 9 November 2021.
- Ectopic pregnancy, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 23 August 2022.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
Related conditions
Related reading from the Mobi Doctor blog
Contraceptive Methods - Birth Control Options For Women
Contraceptive methods include hormonal options such as the pill, patch, vaginal ring, injection, implant and intrauterin...
Read article → Health and WellbeingWhat Does Your Period Blood Colour Mean?
Period blood colour can change during your cycle and is usually normal. Bright red, dark red, or brown blood often refle...
Read article →Speak to a doctor about the copper coil over video, usually within 15 minutes
Licensed doctors · open daily 7am–11pm CEST · exact price before payment
See available times →