IUD Strings & Expulsion Self-Check

Wash your hands first, then get into a comfortable position — squatting, or putting one foot up on the toilet or the edge of the tub, makes it easier to reach. Slide a clean finger high into your vagina until you feel your cervix, which is firm and a bit like the tip of your nose. Just past it you should feel the two thin, soft threads. Notice roughly how long they feel, so you have a baseline to compare against next time. Many people check about once a month, often right after a period, since that's when an IUD is a little more likely to slip. Your provider usually shows you how to do this right after the IUD is placed. Feeling the soft threads at a familiar length is reassuring; feeling the hard device or nothing at all is a reason to check in with your provider.

No — not being able to feel the strings does not automatically mean the IUD has come out. Very often the strings have simply curled up around the cervix, sit higher than you can comfortably reach, or were trimmed short when the IUD was placed, and the device is still exactly where it should be. That said, missing strings can also mean the IUD has moved or been expelled, so it's not something to ignore either. The right move is in between the two assumptions: use a backup method like condoms (or avoid sex that could lead to pregnancy) and contact your provider, who can confirm the IUD's position with a quick exam or ultrasound. Don't go probing deeper to find the strings, and never try to remove the device yourself.

Expulsion — when the IUD partly or fully slips out of the uterus — sometimes causes no symptoms at all, which is exactly why the string check matters. When there are signs, they can include strings that feel longer, shorter, or missing, feeling the hard plastic of the device at or below your cervix, new or unusual cramping, heavier or irregular bleeding, unusual discharge, or pain during sex. Expulsion is most common in the first few months after insertion and around the time of a period. If you notice any of these changes, use backup contraception and see your provider — and if you have severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, or pain with sex, treat it as urgent.

Yes. Any time you can't feel the strings, you feel the hard device, or the strings feel clearly different from your normal, there's a chance the IUD isn't sitting where it needs to be to prevent pregnancy — so until a provider confirms it's in place, use a backup method such as condoms, or avoid sex that could lead to pregnancy. If you've already had unprotected sex and think the IUD may have moved or come out, tell your provider promptly, since they can talk you through whether emergency contraception is appropriate for your situation. A backup method is a short, simple safeguard while you get the IUD checked — not a sign that anything is definitely wrong.

A common suggestion is to feel for the strings about once a month, often just after your period, because expulsion is a little more likely around menstruation and in the first few months after the IUD is placed. Once you know what your normal feels like, some people check less often — the goal isn't anxiety, it's a quick familiarity so you'd notice a real change. You don't need to check obsessively or after every act of sex. If feeling for the strings is difficult or you're never quite sure what you're feeling, that's worth mentioning at a routine visit, where your provider can check placement and show you again.

Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you feel, anything you tick, and your result are worked out on your own device and are never sent to a server, saved, or shared — close the tab and they're gone. It's general educational information based on published ACOG, CDC, and MedlinePlus guidance; it can't diagnose you, confirm where your IUD is, or replace the provider who placed it. When something feels different or you're unsure, that check-in is the goal — this just helps you tell a reassuring sign from one worth acting on.