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PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
(PID)
PID Pictures | PID Support
| General
| Symptoms | Diagnosis
| Treatment | Transmission
| Prevention | Prognosis
| Pictures |
Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a progressive
infection and inflammation, which can result in substantial damage to a woman's reproductive
system. Many different organisms can cause Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease, but most cases are usually caused by the bacteria:
Both may occur
together It has been shown
that:
-
Bacteria normally present in small numbers in the vagina and cervix may play a role
-
Various other germs are sometimes involved
-
20%
of patients with Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID) have no definite cause
Pelvic inflammatory disease
(PID) usually occurs in sexually active women between the ages of
15-25 and the highest rate of infection
is among teenagers and adolescents. More than 750,000 new cases of
Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID) are diagnosed every year in the U.S.
The cervix usually
prevents bacteria in the vagina from spreading up
into the internal organs but if the cervix is exposed to a sexually transmitted
disease (STD), such as Gonorrhea or Chlamydia, the cervix becomes infected.
The
gonococcus, Neisseria gonorrhea
- moves upwards to the fallopian
tubes, where it casts out some cells and invades other cells
- multiplies within and beneath these
cells
- spreads to other organs resulting in more inflammation and
scarring
Chlamydia trachomatis and other bacteria may behave
similarly.
The internal organs can become
inflamed and infected if
the disease travels, often damaging the fallopian tubes making it difficult
to become pregnant.
Symptoms
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) occurs:
- in the fallopian tubes
- in the lining of the uterus
- in the ovaries
- in the upper genital tract
- in the uterus
- throughout the
pelvic area
Whether treated or untreated,
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) can result in:
- chronic pain
- ectopic pregnancy
- fever
- scarring
- sterility [the more episodes of
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) a woman has, the greater
are her chances of becoming infertile]
- swelling
Symptoms
- abnormal or unusual vaginal discharge
(yellow or
green color with an unusual odor)
- abnormal vaginal
bleeding
- dull pain and tenderness in the stomach
- lower abdominal or pelvic pain
- pain during urination
-
painful intercourse
- pain in the
back passage (anus/rectum)
- pain in the lower abdomen and back
- raised temperature and fever
- right upper abdominal pain
- similar signs and symptoms
to that caused by a number of different bacteria
Various menstruation problems
can occur:
- irregular periods
- spotting or cramps throughout the
month
- unusually long or painful
periods
The following symptoms occur if the infection has spread to the lining of the
abdomen:
- chills
- high fever
- nausea
- vomiting
Chlamydia Bacteria
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) when caused by the Chlamydia bacteria may result in only minor
symptoms, sometimes with no symptoms at all, even though it can seriously damage the
reproductive organsGonorrhea Bacteria
Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) caused by the Gonorrhea Bacteria often begin immediately after menstruation rather than
at any other time during
the menstrual cycle, although this has not been proved in Chlamydial Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID)
Note
- As the symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) can sometimes be confused with those of appendicitis and other
infections, it is VERY IMPORTANT to see a doctor immediately if you have any of
the above symptoms
- Waiting even 1-2 days can allow the infection to spread farther
into your body and cause more pain and damage
Transmission
The sexually transmitted infections that most
commonly cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) are:
These diseases are carried in the
semen and other body fluids of infected people and are spread to the woman's
cervix during sexual contact.
The disease infects:
-
abdomen
- anus
- fallopian tubes
- glands at the
opening of the vagina
- ovaries
- urethra (passageway for urine)
- uterus
Other Causes
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is not always the result of an
STD Infection.
Other causes include:
- a germ (microbe)
which is transmitted sexually
- childbirth
- normal bacteria in the
vagina sometimes spreads into the uterus, fallopian tubes and abdomen, causing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID)
- spread of a germ from a nearby
organ, as in appendicitis
- spread
of an infection in the blood stream from other parts of the body
Certain surgical procedures on the female
organs, such as:
- abnormal
Pap smear
- after the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD)
- dilatation and curettage (D &
C)
- therapeutic abortion/medical termination of
pregnancy
Risk Factors
- A prior episode of
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) because the body’s immune system is often
damaged during the initial bout of upper genital tract infection
- Multiple sex partners
- Sexually active teenagers are more likely to develop
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) than older women
- Use of the contraceptive IUD (intrauterine device)
- Women with STDs, in
particular gonorrhea and chlamydia, are at greater risk of developing
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Women who douche:
- once or twice a month may be
more likely to get Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) than those who douche less than once a
month
-
may push bacteria into the upper genital tract
- may ease
discharge caused by an infection and therefore delay getting treatment
Diagnosis
The doctor or health practitioner will use one or more of the following procedures to confirm diagnosis:
Culdocentesis
Fluid is removed from behind the
vagina with a needle and examined for signs of
bleeding or infection.
Laparoscopy (endometrial biopsy)
A small cut
is made in the navel through which an optical instrument with a light is inserted to look inside the
uterus to check for any abnormalities in the reproductive organs.
It is possible to distinguish between
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and
other serious problems that may have similar symptoms to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID). Samples for cultures
or microscopic studies are also obtained.
Microscopic examination
A mucus sample is taken from
inside the vagina and inside the neck of the womb with a swab and sent to
the laboratory to look for microbes. These will be examined under a microscope for gonorrhea and
chlamydial infection.
Pelvic examination
If a physical examination is carried out, the doctor
will require a detailed history of the woman's health
and sexual activity and should also check for:
-
abnormal
vaginal or cervical discharge
-
cervical
chlamydial infection or gonorrhea
-
fever
-
lower abdominal
pain
-
pain or abdominal tenderness when the cervix is touched or moved
Diagnosis of
gonorrhea or Chlamydia with pelvic pain or cervical motion
tenderness sometimes confirms the diagnosis.
Ultrasound Scan
Sound waves are used to form an image of the reproductive
organs and the womb,
ovaries and other organs in the
pelvis, which enables the doctor to distinguish between
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) and
other serious problems with similar symptoms.
Screening
Screening and and treatment
of women who unknowingly had
chlamydial infection reduced cases by more than 60%
Research
New diagnostic tests are
being developed, particularly to diagnose the infection in women with asymptomatic
(silent)
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
Treatment
- Antibiotics (two or more antibiotics
may be used together to affect any possible bacteria that may have
caused the condition)
- Bed rest
- Pain killers may be advised
- Sexual abstinence
- Sometimes intravenous (IV)
treatment is required
Surgery may be needed to:
- remove abscesses
- remove scar tissue
- repair or remove reproductive
organs
Even if the
symptoms cease you should finish the full treatment regimen.
Hospitalization may be recommended if
the patient:
- cannot take
oral medication
- does not respond to treatment after a few days
- has an abdominal
emergency, such as appendicitis
- has an uncertain diagnosis
- has a severe initial presentation
- is an adolescent under the age of 18
- is infected with HIV
- is pregnant
- is severely ill
- needs intravenous
antibiotics
Research
- Topical
microbicides and vaccines to prevent gonorrhea and chlamydial infection
are being developed
- A suppository
containing lactobacilli, the normal bacteria found in the vaginas of
healthy women, is being tested as these bacteria colonize the vagina and may be associated with
reduced risk of gonorrhea and Bacterial Vaginosis, both of which cause
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Prevention
Help Factors
-
Abstinence from sexual intercourse
- Avoiding multiple sexual partners
- Avoiding sexual contact with people at risk of
infection
- Getting early treatment
which may prevent the development of Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Using latex condoms and other
barrier contraception can usually protect against infections associated with Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
and prevent transmission of the bacteria from one
person to the next
Risk Factors
- Birth control pills,
injections and
implants do not prevent against the transmission of
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and other sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs)
- Sexual contact with multiple partners
- Unsafe sexual habits
It is very important for women
to:
- Discuss with partner any
risk factors
- Notice any signs of discharge with odor or bleeding between cycles,
which could indicate infection
Because men are often silent carriers of these
bacteria the male partner of a woman diagnosed with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) should see a doctor or health professional to
be examined and checked for a sexually transmitted disease.
In the event of Chlamydia or
Gonorrhoea or any other sexually transmitted diseases being diagnosed it is important to contact any persons with whom you have been sexually involved so
they may be diagnosed and given treatment if required as it is essential
to prevent further
unnecessary spread of the bacteria.
Tracing sexual contacts is
carried out:
- very professionally
- with discretion
- with sensitivity
Prognosis
After having Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID):
- 9% of women have ectopic
pregnancies
- 10-30%
of women will lose the ability to become pregnant after just one episode of Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- 15% of all infertile women are infertile because of tubal
damage caused by Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- 18% of women develop chronic pelvic
pain
- Scarring will cause
approximately 20% of women to become infertile
Ectopic Pregnancy
After having Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
a small percentage of women develop scarred fallopian tubes, which
can cause difficulties with falling pregnant in the future.
The risk of an ectopic
pregnancy increases due to the changes in the normal anatomy of the woman's genital tract
caused by Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID).
An ectopic pregnancy is
where an embryo grows
outside of the uterus.
If not rapidly diagnosed an
ectopic pregnancy can cause:
- abscesses
- infertility (an inability to get
pregnant)
-
internal bleeding
- long-term pelvic pain
- repeat bouts of illness
- rupture
of the the fallopian tube
- severe pain
- shock and death of the mother
(it is the leading cause of
pregnancy-related death in African-American women)
Other Complications
Women with recurrent episodes of
Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
are more likely than women with a
single episode to suffer scarring of the tubes that leads to:
- chronic pelvic pain
- infertility
- problems in infants born to affected
women
- tubal pregnancy
With each episode of
re-infection the risk of infertility is increased.
PID Pictures | PID Support
AIDS -
Bacterial Vaginosis - Chancroid -
Chlamydia Gonorrhea - Genital
Warts - Granuloma - Hepatitis -
Herpes -
Lymphogranuloma - Molluscum -
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease -
Pubic Lice - Scabies -
Syphilis - Trichomoniasis -
Urinary Tract Infection -
Vaginitis - Yeast
Infection
Sexual
Health Resource -
STD
Clinics & Support - Safe Sex
- STD Dating
Ask your questions on the
Sexual Health
Discussion Forum
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