Pelvic inflammatory disease
Fast facts
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the result of an infection of a woman's reproductive organs.
- PID occurs most commonly when bacteria from a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) spread from the cervix to the uterus, fallopian tubes and possibly the ovaries and surrounding pelvis tissue. It can also occur after childbirth, miscarriage, an abortion or insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD).
- Symptoms can appear suddenly and be severe (acute), or appear gradually and be milder (chronic).
- If left untreated, this condition can lead to permanent damage to a woman's reproductive system.
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Cervix
The lower part of the uterus, leading out into the vagina.
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Fallopian tubes
The tube-like structures connecting a woman's uterus to her ovaries. Eggs released by the ovaries travel to the uterus via the fallopian tubes.
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Uterus
The hollow organ of the female reproductive system that is responsible for the development of the embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Also known as the womb.
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Sexually-transmitted infection
A viral or bacterial infection contracted through sexual intercourse or genital contact. Such an infection can lead to development of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and AIDS.
What is pelvic inflammatory disease?
Pelvic inflammatory disease is the result of an infection of a woman's reproductive organs.
Signs and symptoms
Some women with PID may not experience any signs or symptoms, while others can experience mild or severe symptoms. These symptoms commonly include:
- Pain during sexual intercourse;
- Smelly discharge from the vagina;
- Pain or a burning sensation while urinating, and;
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding occurring between periods, or after sexual intercourse.
If the infection spreads quickly, you are more likely to experience:
- Chills, fever, nausea or vomiting, and;
- Severe abdominal pain.
A slowly-progressing infection is more likely to cause:
Inflammation of the uterus and ovary as a result of pelvic inflammatory disease.
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Ovary
Female organs located on either side of the uterus. Each ovary produces eggs that travel along the fallopian tubes to the uterus.
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Uterus
The hollow organ of the female reproductive system that is responsible for the development of the embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Also known as the womb.
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Abdominal
Relating to the abdomen, the middle portion of the trunk which contains organs such as the intestines, stomach and liver.
Causes
PID most commonly occurs from a sexually-transmitted infection that has spread from the cervix to infect the remainder of the uterus, the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Other circumstance in which an infection can spread to these organs can include:
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Cervix
The lower part of the uterus, leading out into the vagina.
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Fallopian tubes
The tube-like structures connecting a woman's uterus to her ovaries. Eggs released by the ovaries travel to the uterus via the fallopian tubes.
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Uterus
The hollow organ of the female reproductive system that is responsible for the development of the embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Also known as the womb.
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Sexually-transmitted infection
A viral or bacterial infection contracted through sexual intercourse or genital contact. Such an infection can lead to development of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and AIDS.
Risk factors
Risk factors associated with PID include:
- Being sexually active and under 25 years old;
- Having an untreated STI;
- A previous STI;
- Having unprotected sex;
- Having multiple sexual partners, and;
- Having operations involving the cervix (such as the insertion of an IUD, or a dilatation and curettage surgical procedure).
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Cervix
The lower part of the uterus, leading out into the vagina.
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Dilatation and curettage
A surgical procedure in which the cervix is opened up by instruments called dilators to allow access to the uterus. The uppermost layer of the lining of the uterus is gently scraped off.
Types
PID can appear in two forms - acute or chronic. In the acute form, symptoms can appear suddenly and be severe; in the chronic form, symptoms can appear more gradually and be milder.
Methods for diagnosis
To diagnose PID, your doctor may ask you about your symptoms and conduct a pelvic examination. This examination may involve taking swab samples from your vagina and cervix to identify any infection. A urine test is also commonly used to identify the presence of STIs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Your doctor may also use a pelvic ultrasound scan help to identify how far an infection has spread.
If there is still doubt, or you are not responding to treatment. a procedure known as laparoscopy can be used to diagnose PID. A surgeon will view the reproductive organs by inserting a small camera through a small incision in your abdomen.
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Cervix
The lower part of the uterus, leading out into the vagina.
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Pelvic examination
An examination performed by your doctor or nurse that involves a speculum examination with a duck-bill instrument and an internal examination in which they may put two gloved fingers inside your vagina to check for lumps or tender regions.
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Pelvic ultrasound
A scan that uses a device that emits high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the internal structures of your pelvis. It may be performed over your abdomen or through your vagina.
Types of treatment
It is important to begin treatment for PID as soon as possible to reduce the risk of organ scarring, which can lead to chronic PID and serious complications.
Treatment is usually straightforward: you will receive a course of oral antibiotics targeted against the specific organism that has caused the infection. In cases of severe infection, you may be admitted to hospital and given antibiotics intravenously.
It is also important for your sexual partner to be tested and treated if required. It is important not to have sex with your partner until you are both free of infection, as you may become reinfected.
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Intravenously
Within a vein.
Potential complications
Complications associated with pelvic inflammatory disease can occur if the condition is unnoticed or not treated. The risk of complications also increases if you have more than one episode of PID.
Complications include:
- Ongoing pain
- Scarring of the reproductive system;
- Abscesses;
- Infertility (rare), and;
- Ectopic pregnancies, which occur when a fertilized egg cannot travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. This can result in the embryo growing in the fallopian tubes, which can cause the tube to rupture, requiring emergency surgery.
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Abscesses
A swollen area of tissue containing a build-up of pus.
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Fallopian tubes
The tube-like structures connecting a woman's uterus to her ovaries. Eggs released by the ovaries travel to the uterus via the fallopian tubes.
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Infertility
Inability to produce offspring.
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Uterus
The hollow organ of the female reproductive system that is responsible for the development of the embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Also known as the womb.
Prognosis
Acute PID is generally a temporary and treatable condition.
Prevention
PID most commonly occurs due to an STI spreading to the reproductive organs. It is important to recognize the symptoms of an STI, be tested and begin treatment as soon as possible to reduce the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
If you have had an STI, it is best for your sexual partner(s) to also be tested and treated. To help prevent STIs and pelvic inflammatory disease, it is important to have protected sex by using a condom.
References
- Chlamydia. Accessed August 6 2014. link here
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. University of Maryland Medical Center. Accessed August 6 2014. link here
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). Better Health Channel. Accessed August 6 2014. link here
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Definition - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic. Accessed August 6 2014. link here
- Salpingitis. Better Health Channel. Accessed August 6 2014. link here
10 Most frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is pelvic inflammatory disease? Pelvic inflammatory disease is the infection of a woman's reproductive organs such as the uterus, fallopian tubes and possibly the ovaries and surrounding pelvic tissue. What are the symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease? Some women with pelvic inflammatory disease may not experience any signs or symptoms, while others can experience mild or severe symptoms. These symptoms commonly include: pain during sexual intercourse; smelly discharge from the vagina; pain or a burning sensation while urinating, and; abnormal vaginal bleeding occurring between periods, or after sexual intercourse. If the infection spreads quickly, you are more likely to experience chills, fever, nausea or vomiting, and severe abdominal pain. A slowly-progressing infection is more likely to cause backache and mild lower abdominal pain. What causes pelvic inflammatory disease? Pelvic inflammatory disease most commonly occurs from a sexually-transmitted infection that has spread from the cervix at the lower end of the uterus to infect the remainder of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Other circumstance in which an infection can spread to these organs can include: childbirth; miscarriage; abortion, and; insertion of an IUD used for contraception. Who gets pelvic inflammatory disease? Risk factors for developing pelvic inflammatory disease include: being sexually active and under 25 years old; having an untreated STI; previously having had an STI; having unprotected sex; having multiple sexual partners, and; having operations involving the cervix (such as the insertion of an IUD, or a dilation and curettage surgical procedure). How is pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed? To diagnose pelvic inflammatory disease, your doctor may ask you about your symptoms and conduct a pelvic examination. This examination may involve taking swab samples from your vagina and cervix to identify which type of micro-organism is causing the infection. A urine test is commonly used to identify the presence of gonorrhea and chlamydia. A pelvic ultrasound can also be used to produce a clear image of your internal organs and can help to identify how far an infection has spread. A procedure known as laparoscopy can be used to diagnose pelvic inflammatory disease if there is still doubt after the previous investigations, or if you are not responding to treatment. This involves a surgeon making a small incision into the abdomen and inserting a small fiber-optic instrument with a camera attached to view the reproductive organs. How is pelvic inflammatory disease treated? Treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease is usually straightforward and involves a course of antibiotics targeted against the organism that has caused the infection. It is also important for your sexual partner to be tested and treated if required. To reduce the risk of complications including ongoing pain and sometimes infertility, immediate treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease is important. Can pelvic inflammatory disease be cured? Pelvic inflammatory disease can be cured with antibiotics. It is important to treat it immediately to reduce the risk of scar tissue forming on any reproductive organs. Will pelvic inflammatory disease clear on its own? Pelvic inflammatory disease will not clear on its own and if left untreated, complications can include: scarring of the reproductive system; abscesses, or the collection of infected fluid; fertility problems, and; ectopic pregnancies, which occur when a fertilized egg cannot travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. This can result in the embryo growing in the fallopian tubes and can cause the tube to rupture, requiring emergency surgery. Can pelvic inflammatory disease be prevented? Pelvic inflammatory disease most commonly occurs from a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) spreading into the reproductive organs. It is important to recognize the symptoms of an STI, be tested and begin treatment as soon as possible to reduce the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. It is also important for your sexual partner/s to be tested and treated. To help prevent STIs and pelvic inflammatory disease, it is important to have protected sex by using a condom. Is it safe to have sex with pelvic inflammatory disease? It is not safe to have sex with pelvic inflammatory disease, since you may pass on an underlying infection. It is important to seek treatment with antibiotics and wait for the condition to clear before resuming sexual activity. Your doctor should be able to advise you when it is safe to have sexual intercourse.
Related topics
It is normal for women to have some vaginal discharge. The appearance and amount of discharge will vary, according to factors such as ovulation, pregnancy or starting oral contraceptive medication. There are infections such as thrush, chlamydia and gonorrhoea that can also cause changes to vaginal discharge. Chlamydia is a common sexually-transmitted infection (STI). Most people with chlamydia will not have symptoms, but others may experience pain when urinating, during intercourse, or have an abnormal discharge. If sexually active, it is important to get regular check-ups so it can be detected early and treated. Diverticulitis is where abnormal pouches form in the wall of the large intestines and become infected. It presents as abdominal pain, fever and unwellness. Treatment is important to prevent further complications. Gonorrhoea is a common sexually-transmitted infection. It may not have any symptoms, but if it’s untreated, it can lead to complications. If sexually active, it is important to get regular check-ups so it can be detected early and treated.