An infection of a woman's reproductive organs is known as a Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). It's usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection that enters the body during sexual contact. PID symptoms are usually pain in the lower abdomen and vaginal discharge. Prompt PID treatment, usually antibiotics, helps ease discomfort and avoid complications like infertility. Your partner should get tested too!

What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?

Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is a serious infection that affects the female reproductive system. PID can make it difficult or impossible to get pregnant and can be deadly if not treated right away.

Reproductive organs that can be affected by PID include the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. When you have PID, you may experience pain in your lower abdomen (belly). You might also notice unusual discharge (leaking) from your vagina.

How do you get Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

15% of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease are not sexually transmitted, although unprotected intercourse is still the main way that most people contract Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. During sexual activity, bacteria may enter the reproductive system and infect the organs.

How does Pelvic Inflammatory Disease affect You?

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can harm your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, as well as other reproductive organs. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can cause discomfort and make future pregnancies challenging. A tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA), which can cause serious illness if left untreated, is another complication of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

How common is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) affects more than a million India women annually. In addition, it renders over 100,000 women sterile, preventing them from getting pregnant. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) can also lead to ectopic pregnancies in several circumstances. Ectopic pregnancy refers to when the baby starts to develop outside the uterus, most usually in the fallopian tube. Untreated ectopic pregnancy necessitates immediate medical attention.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) cases have decreased recently. The primary infections that cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), chlamydia and gonorrhea, are being routinely tested for by more women, which may be the cause.

Risk factors for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

If you have gonorrhoea, chlamydia, or have ever had a STI, your chance of developing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease increases. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, however, can occur even if you have never had a STI.

Additional elements that may increase your risk of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease include:

having sex under the age of 25
having multiple sex partners
having sex without a condom
recently having an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted
douching
having a history of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease are absent in some female patients. Women who do experience symptoms may experience the following:

pain in the lower abdomen (the most common symptom)
pain in the upper abdomen
fever
painful sex
painful urination
irregular bleeding
increased or foul-smelling vaginal discharge
tiredness

Pain from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease may be minimal to moderate. However, some women experience extreme discomfort and symptoms, including:

sharp pain in the abdomen
vomiting
fainting
a high fever (greater than 101°F)

Call your doctor right away if you have severe symptoms, or visit the emergency department. Your bloodstream or other areas of your body may now be infected. This may endanger your life.

Diagnosis of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Visit your healthcare practitioner as soon as possible if you get Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) symptoms. Your chances of receiving successful therapy increase the sooner you seek it.

Your healthcare provider can typically identify Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) by:

Asking about your overall health, sexual behaviour, and symptoms is part of the medical history.
Pelvic exam to check for infection symptoms and inspect your reproductive organs.

Tests might I need to diagnose Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Your provider may also order:

Blood tests.
To rule out a urinary tract infection, which also causes pelvic pain, get a urine test.
To obtain more precise images of the reproductive system, use ultrasound.

In some cases, your provider may recommend:

Endometrial biopsy: the removal and examination of a tiny tissue sample from the uterine lining known as the endometrium.
Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that allows doctors to see into the abdomen through small incisions and a lit device.

Culdocentesis involves inserting a needle behind the vagina to extract fluid for analysis. Although considerably less common now than it formerly was, this surgery can be beneficial on occasion.

Treatment for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

To treat Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), your doctor probably wants you to take antibiotics. Your doctor might prescribe you two different types of antibiotics to treat a variety of germs as they may not be able to identify the specific bacteria that caused your infection.

Your symptoms may become better or disappear a few days after starting medication. Even if you feel better, you still need to finish your medication. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, the infection can come back.

Your doctor can refer you to the hospital for treatment if you are ill or pregnant, have trouble swallowing pills, or develop an abscess (a pocket of pus brought on by an infection) in your pelvic.

Inflammatory illness of the pelvis might call for surgery. This is a rare situation that should only be undertaken if an abscess in your pelvis ruptures or if your doctor has reason to believe that it will. If the infection doesn't respond to treatment, it can also be required.

Sexual contact can spread the germs that cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). If you engage in sexual activity, your partner should also receive Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) treatment. Men may covertly harbour the bacteria that cause pelvic inflammatory disease.

If your partner doesn't get medical attention, your infection can come back. You could be told to forgo sexual activity until the infection has been treated.

Prevention of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Sometimes a sexually transmitted infection is not the cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). After ordinary vaginal bacteria enter your reproductive organs, it could start there. Douching needs to be avoided in order to lower the risk.

However, unprotected intercourse is the primary cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) most of the time. Take action to engage in safe sex. Take the following precautions to avoid STIs that can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).

Limit sexual partners: If you have several relationships, your risk rises.
Choose barrier methods of birth control: These birth control methods include the use of diaphragms and condoms. Even if you take birth control pills, use a barrier approach in conjunction with spermicide.
Seek treatment if you notice symptoms: Get therapy as soon as you spot Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) or other STI symptoms. Unusual vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, or bleeding between periods are among the symptoms.
Get regular checkups: Obtain frequent gynaecological tests and exams. Before cervical infections progress to the reproductive organs, healthcare professionals can frequently detect and treat them.

Complications of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

If you suspect Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), schedule a medical appointment. A UTI, for example, might mimic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in symptoms. Your doctor can perform a Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) test and rule out other problems, though.

If you don't get treatment for your Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), your symptoms could get worse and cause issues like:

the inability to conceive a child, or infertility
Ectopic pregnancy, or conception outside the womb
persistent pelvic pain, lower abdominal pain brought on by the fallopian tubes and other pelvic organs scarring

The infection may also spread to different body areas. It may endanger your life if it spreads to your blood.

Can Pelvic Inflammatory Disease be cured?

Antibiotics can treat Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) if you receive quick diagnosis and treatment for an infection. However, treatment won't be able to undo any harm that has already been done to your reproductive organs. Don't put off getting help. Visit your doctor right soon to receive the care you require to maintain your health.