When I was about 25, I was diagnosed with PID after I woke up one morning with severe abdominal pain. The doctor told me I tested positive for chlamydia and gave me antibiotics. I am now 31 and trying to get pregnant. I know that PID can damage the fallopian tubes, thereby causing infertility. Should I wait until we've tried for a year, as is usually recommended, before I seek help? Or does my medical history warrant investigation of infertility sooner, if we do not conceive?

Katie

Physicians will differ on the answer to this question. Some will suggest you consider having a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), a test to evaluate your fallopian tubes. Others will tell you to attempt conception for one year before seeking consultation for infertility.

Tubal abnormalities occur in 10-25 percent of cases after a single episode of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This means that up to 90 percent of women will still have normal tubes and fertility after a single episode of chlamydial infection and PID.

I would suggest you take steps to ensure your health and maximize the odds of successful conception. Using a urine LH kit such as ClearPlan EZ or Ovuquick can detect ovulation and indicate the most likely time for conception. A prenatal vitamin can prevent certain types of birth defects. And a preconceptual health visit with your own physician, including a pelvic exam and check for infections, would be a good idea in any case.