Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Index

1. What is pelvic inflammatory disease?
2. Prognosis of the disease
3. What are the symptoms of PID?
4. Medical tests for pelvic inflammatory disease
5. What are the causes of pelvic inflammatory disease?
6. Can pelvic inflammatory disease be prevented?
7. How is pelvic inflammatory disease treated?
8. What specialist treats it?

What is pelvic inflammatory disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection that affects the upper part of the internal female reproductive system: uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Prognosis of the disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease is considered a serious infection that occurs when some Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and other infections are not treated correctly. It is a treatable disease if diagnosed early. However, the treatment applied is not capable of reversing any damage that has already occurred in the female reproductive system. The longer the patient waits for treatment, the more likely it is that the PID will become more complicated.

It is very important that the antibiotics are completed correctly, even if the symptoms have already disappeared, and it is also important that both partners complete the treatment before having sexual intercourse so that they do not re-infect each other. If the infected person has more sexual partners, it is very important to notify them so that they can be tested and treated, if necessary.

If PID is not treated early, complications can occur, including:

• Formation of scar tissue outside and inside the fallopian tubes, which can cause the fallopian tubes to become blocked.
• Infertility.
• Pregnancy.
• Chronic pelvic or abdominal pain.

What are the symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease?

The main symptom is lower abdominal pain, and can also manifest itself through:

• Long and painful menses
• Fever
• Pelvic pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abnormal uterine bleeding, especially during or after intercourse, or between menstrual cycles.

PID infections can cause scarring of the pelvic organs. This can lead to:

• Pelvic pain for a long time (chronic).
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Infertility
• Tubo-ovarian abscess

Pelvic inflammatory disease usually manifests itself with lower abdominal pain with lower abdominal pain.

Medical tests for pelvic inflammatory disease

Before any suspicion of pelvic inflammatory disease is very important:

• See a specialist if you notice any of the characteristic symptoms.
• Go to the doctor if the patient (or her partner(s)) consider that they have been exposed to an STD.
• See a doctor for genital symptoms such as: unusual sores, burning sensation when urinating, bleeding between periods, or vaginal discharge with odor.
• Have a chlamydia test every year, if the patient is sexually active.
• However, there are no specific and highly accurate diagnostic tests for PID.

What causes pelvic inflammatory disease?

It is caused by the ascension of bacteria from the vagina to the cervix, which are transmitted sexually, during childbirth or abortion.

Usually this complication is due to an STD, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, although other non-sexually transmitted infections can also cause PID.

Can PID be prevented?

The main measure to prevent PID is to have safe sex, i.e., using condoms, preferably having sex with only one person, and being tested for sexually transmitted infections before starting a relationship.

How is pelvic inflammatory disease treated?

Typically, the health care provider prescribes antibiotics while waiting for test results.

If the disease is mild, treatment will basically consist of giving antibiotics by injection and taking antibiotics orally at home for two weeks. On the other hand, if the disease is more severe, hospitalization may be required, with intravenous and oral antibiotics administered.

Which specialist treats it

The specialist who treats pelvic inflammatory disease is the expert in Gynecology and Obstetrics.