Preventing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
You have a slight ache in your pelvic region. Your vagina has been off thanks to a strange discharge. You might have pelvic inflammatory disease.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the organs in a woman’s reproductive system, which includes the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. This can lead to ectopic pregnancy, abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.
PID is diagnosed in more than 1 million women each year in the United States. PID occurs when bacteria moves from the vagina or cervix into the reproductive organs. Germs found in gonorrhea and chlamydia are often the cause. Sexually active women in their childbearing years are most at risk, but teenagers and young women are more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections linked to PID.
PID can be difficult to diagnose because some women don’t experience any symptoms. Others experience lower abdominal pain, fever, unusual vaginal discharge, painful intercourse, painful urination, and irregular menstrual bleeding.
Women who have had 10 or more sexual partners had a three times greater risk of developing PID than women who have had sex with a single partner, however there are many factors at play. Childbirth, miscarriage, having had an abortion, an endometrial biopsy or intrauterine device inserted; as well as failing to practice safe sex or douching regularly could all contribute to the chances of contracting PID.
To reduce your chances of contracting PID you should practice safe sex, talk to your doctor about conception, get tested for sexually transmitted infection (STI), request that your partner be tested, and don’t douche.
To diagnose PID, your doctor will take down your medical history, conduct a pelvic examination, perform blood and urine tests, and run an ultrasound. Your doctor may perform additional tests such as laparoscopy in which your doctor inserts a thin, lighted instrument through a small incision in your abdomen to view your pelvic organs. And an endometrial biopsy where your doctor inserts a thin tube into the uterus to remove a small sample of endometrial tissue. The tissue is tested for signs of infection and inflammation.
Treatment for PID includes antibiotics (you will follow up with your doctor after a few days to make sure it is working), treatment for your partner, and temporary abstinence. Coping with PID can be stressful and overwhelming, so it’s important to keep a few things in mind such as getting treatment (your condition is most often caused by a sexually transmitted infection, so the sooner you get treatment, the sooner you can heal). Being prepared to schedule infertility evaluation (chronic PID may be an obstacle to successful conception). Seeking support is also important whether it be from family and friends or professional or even a support group of like-minded individuals.
Surgery is rarely needed. If an abscess ruptures or threatens to rupture, then your doctor may drain it. You might also be eligible for surgery if you don’t respond to antibiotics or an uncertain diagnosis such as when one or more of the signs or symptoms of PID are absent.
PID can be a serious infection, causing complications that may require hospitalizations, so early detection and treatment is imperative. Patient education is a vital precaution and treating sexual partners is a must to prevent the disease from being transmitted again. Practicing safe sex and yearly screenings for STIs will help sexually active women to prevent PID.
