How much does a pelvic ultrasound scan cost privately in the UK? (2026)

A private pelvic ultrasound looks at the uterus, ovaries and surrounding structures, either across the lower abdomen or with a internal (transvaginal) probe, and is used for pelvic pain, irregular or heavy periods, cysts and fibroids.

Several UK hospital groups publish guide prices on their websites. In the listings we retrieved, pelvic ultrasound scan ran from £320 to £440, depending on the hospital, the variant listed and what that provider counts in its price. The table shows each entry as published.

Because each provider defines its package differently, the cheapest figure in a list is not automatically the best value. Compare what each includes before you compare totals.

For an abdominal scan you will be asked to drink water beforehand so the bladder is full, then lie on a couch while gel and a probe are used over the lower abdomen. For a transvaginal scan you empty your bladder first and a slim probe is placed gently inside; you can ask for a chaperone and to stop at any time.

The sonographer will often explain what they see in general terms, though the full report comes from a doctor. If the quote is for the scan only, ask who will explain the result to you and whether that conversation is charged.

The headline figure hides several moving parts. In the case of pelvic ultrasound scan, the following tend to decide where a quote lands.

• Abdominal versus transvaginal approach: a combined scan using both takes longer and is often a single package, but some providers price them separately.

• Gynaecological specialisation: Nuffield Health Edinburgh lists a gynaecological ultrasound at a higher price than a one-part ultrasound, reflecting the specialist protocol and reporting.

• Who performs and reports: a consultant gynaecologist or radiologist doing the scan costs more than a sonographer scan reported later.

• Add-on assessments: ovarian reserve counts, endometrial thickness or a saline sonohysterogram are priced as extras at some clinics.

• The provider: published general ultrasound prices differ by hospital, whereas gynaecology scans are often priced within a clinic package.

A fixed price is only as useful as its small print. Here is how the common items tend to divide between included and extra.

Insurers normally cover a pelvic ultrasound on GP or gynaecologist referral. If you are self-booking, check whether a doctor review is included, since insurers often expect the scan to be tied to a consultation.

Insured patients should confirm the benefit limit, the excess and whether the consultant is on the insurer list. Self-funders can compare a fixed package price against an itemised estimate, and ask whether credit is available.

NHS pelvic scans are requested through the GP or gynaecology services, with urgent scans for suspected ovarian cancer, bleeding in pregnancy or acute pain prioritised. Routine waits vary by trust.

If you are weighing private against NHS care, remember that NHS referral gives you a right to choose a provider in England and an 18-week standard for non-urgent treatment. Check current waits in your area before deciding.

There is no recovery. Some women have mild discomfort with an internal probe. The follow-up consultation is the main extra cost.

Ask your provider to explain, in writing if possible, what is covered if the course of care changes.

• A normal scan does not always explain pain, and an unclear scan can lead to MRI or laparoscopy, so a cheap first scan can be the start of a longer, costlier pathway.

• Severe sudden lower abdominal pain, heavy bleeding with dizziness, or a positive pregnancy test with pain on one side need emergency care; this may be an ectopic pregnancy.

Ask each provider for an itemised written estimate, then put them side by side. These questions are specific to this procedure.

• Is the quote for an abdominal scan, a transvaginal scan or both?

• Who performs and who reports the scan?

• Is a consultation to discuss the result included?

• Which extra tests might be recommended, and what would they cost?

• Is the consultant fee, anaesthetist fee and hospital fee shown separately, and are any of them estimated rather than fixed?