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STD FACT SHEETS > Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is a complication from untreated sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It refers to an infection involving the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries. PID is characterized by pain in the lower abdomen. Other symptoms may include vaginal discharge or bleeding, painful intercourse, nausea and vomiting and fever. Some women, however, have very mild or nonexistent symptoms. It has been estimated that about 1 million women have symptomatic PID every year. Young women who engage in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners have a high risk of developing PID.

Diagnosis of PID can be very difficult, in part because some women have few or no symptoms. Other conditions must first be ruled out for women who do have abdominal pain. Those conditions include acute appendicitis, endometriosis and ovarian cysts. A pelvic exam is an important part of the diagnostic process. Blood tests and cultures may also be done. Once a diagnosis of PID is made, antibiotic medication is prescribed. Until all medication is taken, sexual activity should not be resumed. Women should have follow-up exams within two to three days of initiating treatment to assure proper diagnosis and treatment. The sex partners of women with PID should also be evaluated for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Untreated PID can be very serious. It can lead to tubal infertility, chronic abdominal pain and ectopic, or tubal, pregnancy. For women with PID caused by chlamydia, for example, 20 percent will become infertile; 18 percent will have severe abdominal pain; and 9 percent will have tubal pregnancies.

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Fast facts
  • Health care providers should be consulted if symptoms of PID (see above) occur.

  • Sexually active males and females should be screened for STDs, particularly chlamydia and gonorrhea, at least once a year.

  • Limiting the number of sex partners will lessen the chance of exposure to STDs that may cause PID.

  • Use of barrier contraception (in particular male and female condoms, but also diaphragms and vaginal spermicides) every time sexual intercourse occurs will also decrease the chance of exposure to STDs.

  • It is imperative that the partners of women with PID be tested and treated to prevent re-infection.

  • Twelve percent of women are infertile after one episode of PID, 25 percent after two episodes and over 50 percent after three or more episodes.
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