Coil Fitter Update: Practical Skills, Tricky Fittings and Current Guidance

This 3-hour Coil Update session is designed for clinicians already involved in intrauterine contraception care, including those who fit, remove, counsel or support patients considering copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs/IUS.

The session provides a practical update on current intrauterine contraception guidance, including licensed and off-licence use, duration of use, extended use, perimenopause considerations and use alongside HRT. It will also explore common challenges in clinical practice, including difficult fittings, pain management, local anaesthetic options, cervical stenosis, postpartum considerations, non-visible threads, infection risk, consent, documentation and safety-netting.

Suitable for healthcare professionals who are already trained in intrauterine contraception care or who regularly counsel, refer, assist with or review patients using intrauterine methods.

This may include:  Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, GPs, Physician Associates, Pharmacists and other registered healthcare professionals working in general practice, sexual health or community women’s health services.

Delivered by Hanna Smith, Specialist Women’s Health Practitioner, experienced IUC fitter, College Registered Trainer and General Training Programme Director for the CoSRH, bringing practical, real-world insight from primary care, women’s health and contraceptive training.

The session will cover

• Current guidance updates relevant to copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs/IUS
• Licensed and off-licence use, including extended use and age-related considerations
• IUC for emergency contraception
• IUS use in heavy menstrual bleeding and as endometrial protection with HRT
• Practical approaches to tricky fittings and removals
• Managing pain and anxiety during IUC procedures
• Local anaesthetic options and governance considerations
• Non-visible threads, failed removals and when to refer
• Infection risk, STI screening and antibiotic considerations
• Consent, counselling, documentation and safety-netting
• Case-based discussion and practical troubleshooting tips

Learning outcomes

By the end of the session, delegates should be able to:

• Describe key current guidance updates relating to intrauterine contraception
• Explain licensed and off-licence use of copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs/IUS
• Identify appropriate counselling points for IUC use, including duration, bleeding patterns, risks and benefits
• Recognise common factors that may make IUC fitting or removal more challenging
• Discuss practical strategies for managing difficult fittings, patient discomfort and procedure-related anxiety
• Understand the role of local anaesthetic options within safe IUC practice
• Recognise when escalation or referral is required
• Apply safe documentation, consent and safety-netting principles in intrauterine contraception care