Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

PID is a serious condition that is caused by untreated STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).

Pelvic inflammatory disease is a treatable infection of a woman’s reproductive organs caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like chlamydia and gonorrhea.

You are more likely to get pelvic inflammatory disease if you:

• have an STD and are not treated
• have more than one sex partner, or a sex partner who does
• have had PID before
• are 25 or younger and sexually active
• douche
• use an intrauterine device (IUD)

You can reduce your risk of pelvic inflammatory disease by:

• not having vaginal, anal, or oral sex
• if sexually active:
  • having long-term relationships with partners who test negative for STDs
  • using latex condoms the right way every time you have sex

Sometimes there aren’t any symptoms, but if you do have them, you may notice:

• fever
• pain in your lower abdomen
• a bad odor from your vagina
• unusual discharge with from your vagina
•  bleeding or pain when you have sex
• burning sensation when you urinate
• bleeding between periods

Treatment for PID

PID can be treated with antibiotics. The longer the wait is to get treated, the more likely you will have complications from PID.

If PID is not treated, the long term complications can include:

• the formation of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes
• ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus)
• infertility (inability to get pregnant)
• long-term pain