About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

What is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the reproductive organs of a woman. It is a complication often caused by some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other infections that are not sexually transmitted can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

How do I get pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

You are more likely to get pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if you:

• have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and do not get treated;
• have more than one (1) sex partner;
• have a sex partner who has a sex partner other than you;
• have had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) before;
• are sexually active and are twenty-five (25) years of age or younger;
• douche; and/or
• use an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control. However, the small increased risk is mostly limited to the first three (3) weeks after the intrauterine device (IUD) is placed inside the uterus by a doctor.

How can I reduce my risk of getting pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

The only way to avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting pelvic inflammatory disease (PID):

• being in a long-term, mutually-monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and has negative sexually transmitted infection (STI) test results; and
• using condoms (the right way) every time you have sex.

How do I know if I have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

There are no tests for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). A diagnosis is usually based on a combination of your medical history, physical exam, and other test results. You may not realize you have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) because your symptoms may be mild, or you may not experience any symptoms at all. However, if you do have symptoms, you may notice:

• pain in your lower abdomen;
• fever;
• an unusual discharge with a bad odor from your vagina;
• pain and/or bleeding when you have sex;
• burning sensation when you urinate; and/or
• bleeding between periods.

You should:

• be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms;
• promptly see a doctor if you think you or your sex partner have or were exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI);
• promptly see a doctor if you have any genital symptoms, such as an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when peeing, or bleeding between periods;
• get a test for chlamydia and gonorrhea every year if you are sexually active and younger than twenty-five (25) years of age; and
• have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider if you are sexually active and ask whether you should be tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

How can I reduce my risk of getting pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

The only way to avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting pelvic inflammatory disease (PID):

• being in a long-term, mutually-monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and has negative sexually transmitted infections (STIs) test results; and
• using condoms (the right way) every time you have sex.

Can pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) be cured?

Yes; if pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is diagnosed early, it can be treated. However, treatment will not undo any damage that has already happened to your reproductive system. The longer you wait to get treated, the more likely it is that you will have complications from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

While taking antibiotics, your symptoms may go away before the infection is cured. Even if symptoms go away, you should finish taking all of your medicine. Be sure to tell your recent sex partner about your diagnosis so that they can get tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is also very important that you and your partner both finish your treatment before having any kind of sex so that you do not re-infect each other.

You can get pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) again if you get infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) again. Also, if you have had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) before, you have a higher chance of getting it again.

What happens if I do not get treated?

If diagnosed and treated early, the complications of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can be prevented. Some of the complications of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are:

• formation of scar tissue both outside and inside the fallopian tubes that can lead to tubal blockage;
• ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the womb);
• infertility (inability to get pregnant); and
• long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.