Hi OP, I’m a gynaecologist who specialises in contraception. This is not standard practice AT ALL! I’m sorry you’re having such a stressful time.
Becoming much more common to offer a coil fit at Caesarean section or vaginal delivery, in order to increase contraceptive uptake and save women having to go through the rigmarole of arranging a fit with a small baby once discharged.
However, they absolutely should not have left the threads dangling out of the vagina - so uncomfortable for you, and hugely increases the risk of the coil being pulled out by accident. Not Greta from hygiene perspective, either.
Because the uterus shrinks after delivery and you’ll have the usual bleeding, the downside is that there is a increased risk of a coil being expelled or too low in the uterus, hence good practice to arrange the follow-up scan.
The coil threads can become longer as the uterus shrinks (ie: coil moves down), which may be what you are experiencing. It may also indicate that the coil is too far down in the lower uterus or cervix, particularly if you have pain. No way of differentiating the two without a scan. This means the coil threads don’t need to be cut to any longer than the usual 2-3cm from the cervix when fitted, and quite often need trimming shorter at follow-up if they have lengthened, but only once correct position has been confirmed.
You should have been given written information on what to expect, and a named service to contact - sounds like this was not done. There is often a gap in care where once you have been discharged from hospital, obstetric services do to view the coil as their job, and the sexual health service have no access your hospital notes, nor receive any communication from hospital as regards your coil. Your GP will have gathered hospital notes, but unlikely there will be much more detail than “coil fitted, follow-up scan booked”…..if your GP does not fit coils (most don’t now) they may not appreciate the significance of thread length.
It’s the usual sub-standard care for women.
My advice would be not to rely on the coil for contraception until you have the follow-up scan and the result is discussed with a clinician appropriately senior (GP or contraceptive dr/nurse in your sexual health service).
I’m afraid it’s the usual poor standard of care for women, due to a lack of joined-up thinking and services.
I would advise trying to get the threads trimmed by your GP (they may not do this if they don’t fit coils), or ring the maternity unit or your midwife for advice, letting them know the threads are getting longer and longer, and that sexual health/GP have refused to do so.
I would not suggest removing a coil yourself ever, and certainly not having had a C/S few days ago.
Accessing a scan earlier, certainly whilst you have postpartum bleeding, probably won’t be useful, as the uterus is still shrinking, and the amount of blood and C/S scar healing can make it tricky to visualise the coil.
Again sorry you are going through this trouble, most of which is entirely predictable and avoidable, had your care been better. Absolutely unacceptable.
Hoping you get sorted soon - please let us know.