Sexual Health, Screening & Family Planning
Below, you can find out more about what the NHS is doing to help improve the sexual health and wellbeing of the population in Wales.
Your coil fitting appointment
- Your appointment is for half an hour
- Please make sure that you have had something to eat before your appointment.
Some women find the fitting process uncomfortable, and you may wish to take a tablet painkiller that is safe for you, an hour or so before the procedure.
It is very important that there is no chance you could be pregnant when we fit your coil.
- Do not have sex from the start of your period until the insertion, unless you are using a method of contraception reliably and consistently (implant, injection, pill, perfect use condom). Withdrawal and natural methods are not considered reliable enough, so please use condoms or abstain from sex.
If you are having a coil replaced for a new one, you should not have sex for 7 days before the appointment if your coil is in date. This is because rarely it is not possible to fit a new coil after one has been removed and sperm can stay in your body for up to a week.
- If your coil is out of date, you should not have sex for 21 days (3 weeks) before the appointment so that a pregnancy test is valid. It is OK to have a coil fitted if you are bleeding; please attend your appointment as usual.
The copper coil works immediately after fitting and lasts 5–10 years.
The hormone coil (Mirena) works immediately if fitted in the first 7 days of the menstrual cycle. If fitted after this, additional contraception is needed for a week.
The Mirena coil lasts 8 years for contraception, up to 8 years for heavy bleeding and 5 years as part of HRT.
Please see https://www.contraceptionchoices.org/ for information on all forms of contraception
Sexual Health Wales
Get information about accessing advice & testing in your area
British Pregnancy Advice Service
askme - Live Fear Free Helpline
Providing help and advice about violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence
Screening
Screening is a process of identifying apparently healthy people who may be at increased risk of a disease or condition. They can then be offered information, further tests and appropriate treatment to reduce their risk and/or any complications arising from the disease or condition.
More information about how screening programmes in Wales are performing can be found here:
About Your Cervical Screening (Smear Test) Booklet, July 2022
Cervical Screening for older women
NHS Wales screening information for people who are:
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Transgender
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Non-binary
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Gender-diverse
This information is for you if you are trans (transgender), non-binary or gender-diverse.
If you are a family member, friend or health professional, you may also find this information helpful.
Information in this section will help you understand which screening tests you can have and when. It will also help you decide whether to take part or not.