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Pelvic Inflamatory Disease

What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?
Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is a condition in which a woman’s reproductive organs become infected. This infection spreads from the cervix up towards the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and all the other surrounding structures. Additionally, bacteria infect the fallopian tubes causing inflammation. This inflammation results in normal tissue becoming scarred.

What does Pelvic Inflammatory Disease have to do with fertility?
Surprisingly, PID is a leading cause of infertility in women. PID can lead to a long-term condition called salpingitis. Salpingitis is a result of the infection and inflammation of the fallopian tubes. This infection can lead to problems with the normal passage of an egg. If an egg is blocked from being released, a woman cannot conceive. Furthermore, women who are able to conceive after PID are at an increased risk of having a difficult pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies are the most commonly reported problem for women who conceive after having suffered from PID.

What Causes Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?
PID is most commonly caused by bacteria transmitted via sexual contact or other bodily secretions. The two most common STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) that are responsible for causing PID are gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

What are the symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?
Some women will never experience any of the warning signs of PID but many women will experience some of the following symptoms:
~ Lower abdominal pain or tenderness
~ Abnormal bleeding
~ Painful urination
~ Painful sexual intercourse. Sometimes women report bleeding after sex.
~ Abnormal and usually heavy, vaginal discharge
~ Back pain
~ Nausea with or without vomiting
~ Fever

Is there anything I can do to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease?
Yes. The best way to prevent PID is to practice safe sex. Always use condoms and always talk openly with your partner about the risks of STD’s. It is also a smart idea to limit the number of sexual partners you have. Now, if you are in a committed relationship and have only one sexual partner, the best way to prevent PID is to have routine check-ups with your doctor.

How is pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed?
Traditionally, PID can be diagnosed with a simple exam, a discussion of your medical history, and an evaluation of your symptoms. However, other tests may need to be performed. Some of these tests include:
1. Pap Smear — Taking swabs from the vagina and/or cervix and testing it for any type of infection.
2. Urine Test — Testing a urine sample for the two primary causes of PID, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
3. Pelvic Ultrasound
4. Laparoscopic Surgery — This is an exploratory surgery in which a laparoscope (a thin tube with a tiny camera attached on the end) is inserted into the navel area to view the female reproductive organs.

What treatments are available for pelvic inflammatory disease?
Typically, PID can be treated with a series of oral antibiotics. However, in more serious cases, hospitalization may be necessary and in the most extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:

  • An estimated 10,000 women are treated for PID as in-patients at Australian hospitals each year.
  • Another 20,000 to 30,000 women are treated as outpatients for PID.
  • In Australia, the average yearly cost for this disease is between 75 and 150 million dollars.
  • In 50% of PID cases, Chlamydia was the cause.
  • Gonorrhea accounts for almost 25% of the cases of PID.
  • 1 in 12 women who contract PID as a result of Chlamydia also contract salpingitis and become infertile.
  • 1 in 10 women who contract PID as a result of gonorrhea also contract salpingitis and become infertile.