Copper IUD (copper coil)

What is a copper IUD (coil)?

• IUD stands for intrauterine device, more commonly known as a coil.
• A copper IUD is a small, flexible device made of copper and plastic.
• It's inserted into the womb (uterus) to prevent pregnancy.
• It's more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• It's easily inserted by a trained healthcare professional.
• It can be used as short-term emergency contraception or as long-acting reversible contraception.
• It can prevent pregnancy for 5 or 10 years, depending on the type you have.
• It has no hormones.
• It can make periods heavier, longer or more painful in some people.

How does the copper coil work?

The copper in the coil is toxic to sperm and eggs. This means an egg is very unlikely to be fertilised.

If an egg does get fertilised, the copper coil may stop it from implanting in the womb lining and starting a pregnancy.

When to use the copper coil?

The copper coil can be used as both emergency and regular contraception.

It can be used by many people including young people and those who’ve never given birth.

Emergency contraception

To be effective as emergency contraception a copper coil must be fitted either:

• Within 5 days of vaginal sex without a condom or other effective contraception

or

• Up to 5 days after your expected date of ovulation (when you release an egg)

Long-acting reversible contraception

A copper coil can be used as long-acting reversible contraception. Long-acting means it lasts a long time. You don’t need to think about it until it’s time to replace it. This makes it highly effective at preventing pregnancy.

Reversible means that your normal fertility returns when you stop using the method. This usually happens very quickly when the copper IUD is taken out.

A copper coil can be inserted for regular contraception at any time of your menstrual cycle as long as there’s no chance you’re pregnant. It starts working straight away.

How effective is a copper coil?

Regular contraception: The copper coil is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. Fewer than 1 in 100 copper IUD users will get pregnant in a year.

Emergency contraception: The copper IUD is more effective than emergency contraceptive pills. About 1 in 1,000 people will get pregnant after having a copper IUD fitted as an emergency contraception.

How long does a copper coil last?

• A copper coil can protect you from pregnancy for either 5 or 10 years depending on the type you get.
• You can have it taken it out at any time if you want to stop using it or change to a different type of contraception.

Getting a copper coil fitted

Some services may offer you a consultation appointment and then a separate fitting appointment. Other services will do both at the same appointment.

You may be advised to screen for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) before the fitting.

If you’re getting a coil fitted soon after giving birth or you have young children, try to arrange childcare or take another adult with you. If you need to take your baby or child with you, check with your service first.

• The coil fitting appointment usually lasts about 20 to 30 minutes.
• You’ll have an internal (vaginal) examination to check the position of your womb, so the coil is put in the right place.
• It takes around 5 minutes to insert the coil through your vagina and cervix into your uterus.
• This can be uncomfortable or painful for many people. You should always be offered pain relief choices, including a local anaesthetic. If you’re not, you can ask for this.
• You’re in control and can ask to pause or stop the procedure at any time.

After the coil is fitted, your healthcare professional will show you how to check it’s in place by checking your threads/strings.

You may have some pain and/or a little bleeding. This should settle within a few days. If it doesn’t, call your GP or sexual health clinic in case you have an infection.

Does a copper coil have any benefits?

• It’s one of the most effective methods of contraception.
• It only needs changing every 5 or 10 years.
• You still get your natural menstrual cycle.
• There are no hormonal side effects.
• It’s an effective option for people who can’t use hormonal contraceptives.
• It’s not affected by any medicines you take.

Are there any possible side effects or risks from a copper coil?

• Periods can sometimes get heavier, more painful or last longer. This may settle down or stay the same.
• In about 1 in 20 people, the copper coil can become displaced and gets pushed out of your womb (expulsion). It’s a good idea to regularly check your threads/strings to check your coil is in place. Your healthcare professional will tell you how to do this.
• There is around a 1 or 2 in 1,000 risk of the coil perforating (poking into or through) the womb lining. This may mean the coil does not effectively prevent pregnancy. The coil should be removed. The uterus will heal by itself and after that you can have a new coil inserted if you want to.
• If you have a coil inserted soon after giving birth, the risk of expulsion and perforation can be higher.
• There’s a small risk you could get an infection within the first 3 weeks of having the coil fitted. Getting tested for STIs before the coil is fitted can help reduce this.
• You're very unlikely to become pregnant when using a copper coil but if you do, there’s a higher than usual chance of having an ectopic pregnancy.

Other things to consider when getting a copper coil

• Experiences of having a coil fitted can vary. It can often be uncomfortable or painful. You should always be offered pain relief choices, including a local anaesthetic. If you’re not offered this, it’s always ok to ask for it.
• You’re in control. You can pause or stop your coil fitting at any time.
• The coil is inserted through your vagina using a speculum. Your healthcare professional will need to feel inside your vagina first to check the position of your womb.
• You may feel a little sore or tender or have light bleeding after it’s been put in. Painkillers can help with the soreness and these symptoms do settle.
• Your periods may change - they could become heavier, more painful or last longer.
• The coil doesn’t help prevent sexually transmitted infections so you may want to use condoms too.
  
  

Where to get a copper coil?

A copper coil needs to be fitted by a trained healthcare professional. It’s not available to order from SHL.

Londoners can get a copper coil (IUD) fitted for free at:

• London NHS sexual health clinics
• Some GP surgeries
• Some young people’s services
• Some Women’s Health Hubs

Emergency Contraception

If you need an emergency copper coil, try to get this as soon as possible after sex. If you’re not sure where to go:

• Check your local sexual health service website. You may be able to book an emergency appointment online, phone for an appointment or go to a walk-in clinic.
• Use NHS 111 online.
• Ask a pharmacist – they can often signpost you to a local service. They may also offer you an emergency pill to take in the meantime.

Regular Contraception

A copper coil can be fitted at any time during your menstrual cycle if there is no risk you could be pregnant.

Removing or replacing the copper coil

• The copper coil needs to be removed by a trained healthcare professional.
• You can make an appointment at a sexual health clinic or your GP surgery.
• Your fertility returns to what’s normal for you as soon as the coil is removed.
• If you want to get a new copper coil at the same appointment, make sure you go to a service that also fits coils.

Is a copper coil right for me?

Emergency contraception

• The emergency copper coil is always the most effective type of emergency contraception.
• If it’s not right for you or you can’t get it fitted in time, emergency contraceptive pills are free and available from many places. You can order a pill from SHL if you live in a borough that’s part of our contraception service.
  
  

Regular Contraception

• A copper coil could suit you if you want something long-lasting and hormone-free that you don’t need to think about. It may not suit you if you already have long, heavy or painful periods or would find these hard to deal with. If you need STI protection, you’ll need to be happy using condoms too.
• It’s not as instant as some other types of contraception because you need to wait for an appointment to get it fitted. But you should be in and out of the fitting appointment in less than an hour. And then you don’t need to think about it again for at least 5 years and as long as 10 years, depending on which type you get. But if you don’t get on with the copper coil, want to try a different method, or try to get pregnant, you can get it taken out any time. It just needs a quick trip to your GP or sexual health clinic.
• People often worry about whether having a coil inserted will be painful. Most people experience mild pain; but some describe having severe pain. It’s usually somewhere between uncomfortable and quite painful. Coil fitters are trained to offer you pain relief to minimise any pain. If yours doesn’t offer, you can ask for it. The insertion itself usually takes less than 5 to 10 minutes. You can stop or pause at any time. Once the coil is in place you shouldn’t be able to feel it or have any lasting pain.
• Other types of long-acting reversible contraception you could consider are: the hormonal coil (lasts 3 to 8 years), the implant (lasts 5 years) and the injection (lasts for 3 months). Periods often become lighter, shorter or less painful when using these methods. They can stop completely for some people – but bleeding patterns can be unpredictable.
• If you’d prefer something a bit more flexible, so you can manage your bleeding pattern in a way that suits you, you could choose from the combined pill, the contraceptive patch or the vaginal ring (NuvaRing). All these and progestogen-only pills are available by post from SHL.

Use this tool to think about which regular contraception methods could suit you.

Helpful links

• IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil - NHS
• Copper Coil CU-IUD | Contraception Choices
• Copper Coil - Brook

Sources

Intrauterine Contraception | CoSRH

CoSRH Clinical Guideline: Emergency Contraception (March 2017, amended April 2026)

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (UKMEC) | CoSRH