Left untreated, or treated too late, pelvic inflammatory
disease can damage a woman's reproductive organs, which may make it
difficult or impossible to conceive.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), more than 1 million women in the United States are diagnosed annually with
pelvic inflammatory disease. It is responsible for 100,000 cases of
infertility annually, making it the most common cause of female infertility.
PID can increase the risk of pregnancy complications.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is also the most common cause of ectopic pregnancy, a dangerous
condition in which a fertilized egg implants and grows in a
fallopian tube instead of the uterus.
Pelvic inflammatory disease can occur in any of the organs in
the pelvis. These include the uterus and its linings and walls, the
fallopian tubes and the ovaries.
Most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease are the result of
infection by the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) gonorrhea and chlamydia.
More than 80 percent of cases of pelvic inflammatory disease
are caused by STDs.
In 2003, 877,478 chlamydial infections and more than 335,000
cases of gonorrhea were reported to the CDC.
If you have had PID once, you have an increased risk of
developing it again should you be exposed to another STD.
Sexually active women under 25 years old are at greatest risk
for developing pelvic inflammatory disease. This is because they
are at greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases and their
stage of physical development makes them more susceptible to
infection.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is extremely rare among women who
are not menstruating and those who are not sexually active.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is often a "silent" disease, with
most women experiencing mild symptoms or no symptoms at
all. Even when no symptoms are present, PID infections can cause
serious organ damage.
When symptoms do occur, they may include abdominal pain,
unusual vaginal discharge or fever. Since the same symptoms may
occur with other conditions, pelvic inflammatory disease can be
difficult to diagnose.
If you have severe symptoms, your doctor may conduct a
laparoscopic examination. During this procedure, the doctor inserts
a slender, lighted tube through an incision in your abdomen and
examines your pelvic organs.
Women who seek treatment
for pelvic inflammatory disease usually receive antibiotics
immediately, even before a diagnosis is confirmed. This is because
the importance of avoiding damage to reproductive organs outweighs
any risk from taking antibiotics.
Most women can be treated on an outpatient basis with oral or
injected antibiotics. They can go home the same day that they
receive treatment.
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