Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the female reproductive system, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Most cases of PID are caused by a bacterial infection that’s spread from the vagina or the cervix to the reproductive organs higher up. Many different types of bacteria can cause PID. In many cases, it’s caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.

You can reduce your risk of PID by always using barrier contraception, such as condoms, with a new sexual partner until they have had a sexual health check.

• Symptoms

  PID often does not cause any obvious symptoms.

  Most symptoms are mild and may include 1 or more of the following:

  • Pain around the pelvis or lower tummy
  • Discomfort or pain during sex that’s felt deep inside the pelvis
  • Pain when peeing
  • Bleeding between periods and after sex
  • Heavy periods
  • Painful periods
  • Unusual vaginal discharge, especially if it’s yellow, green or smelly

  A few people become very ill with:

  • Severe pain in the tummy
  • A high temperature (fever)
  • Feeling and being sick
• Testing

  There’s no simple test to diagnose PID. Diagnosis is based on your symptoms and the finding of tenderness during a vaginal (internal) examination. Swabs will be taken from your vagina and the neck of the womb (cervix).

  Getting tested | Sexual Health NI (hscni.net)

   

• Treatment

  If diagnosed at an early stage, PID can be treated with a course of antibiotics, which usually lasts for 14 days.

  It’s important to complete the whole course and avoid having sexual intercourse during this time to help ensure the infection clears.

• Complications

  The fallopian tubes can become scarred and narrowed if they’re affected by PID. This can make it difficult for eggs to pass from the ovaries into the womb.

  This can increase your chances of a pregnancy that grows outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tubes (ectopic pregnancy). This type of pregnancy cannot be saved and can cause life-threatening problems.

  If you keep getting PID or if the treatment is delayed, it can increase your risk of infertility.