Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) — CDC Fact Sheet

In brief

• Untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious condition, in women.
• 1 in 8 women who have had PID have difficulty getting pregnant.
• PID can be prevented.

What PID is

PID is an infection of a woman's reproductive organs. It is a complication often caused by STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea; other infections that are not sexually transmitted can also cause it.

Who is at higher risk

You are more likely to get PID if you:

• have an STI and are not treated;
• have more than one sex partner, or a partner who has other partners;
• have had PID before;
• are sexually active and 25 or younger;
• douche;
• use an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control — though the small added risk is mostly limited to the first three weeks after a doctor places it.

Lowering the risk

The only way to avoid STIs completely is not to have vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you are sexually active, you can lower your chances of PID by:

• being in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative for STIs;
• using latex condoms correctly every time you have sex.

Symptoms and diagnosis

There is no test for PID. Diagnosis usually rests on your medical history, a physical exam and other test results. PID may cause mild symptoms or none, so you may not know you have it. If you do have symptoms, you may notice:

• pain in the lower abdomen;
• fever;
• unusual, bad-smelling vaginal discharge;
• pain or bleeding during sex;
• burning when you urinate;
• bleeding between periods.

You should:

• see a doctor if you notice any of these symptoms;
• see a doctor promptly if you think you or a partner has, or was exposed to, an STI, or if you have genital symptoms such as an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when peeing or bleeding between periods;
• be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea every year if you are sexually active and younger than 25;
• talk openly with your health care provider about whether you should be tested for other STIs.

Treatment

PID can be treated if it is diagnosed early, but treatment does not undo damage already done to the reproductive system — and the longer treatment waits, the more likely complications become.

• Finish all your antibiotics, even if symptoms go away first.
• Tell your recent sex partners so they can be tested and treated.
• Do not have sex until you and your partner have both finished treatment, so you do not reinfect each other.

You can get PID again if you get another STI, and having had PID raises the chance of getting it again.

Complications

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent PID's complications, which include:

• scar tissue inside and outside the fallopian tubes, which can block them;
• ectopic pregnancy — a pregnancy outside the womb;
• infertility;
• long-term pelvic or abdominal pain.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) – CDC Fact Sheet. Its stock photo collage is left out.