Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection that starts in the vagina and progresses affecting the uterus, as well as the fallopian tubes and ovaries, spreading through a large pelvic area, but can still worsen and spread through the abdomen.
This disease mainly affects sexually active adolescents and young people, with several sexual partners, who do not use a condom and who maintain the habit of washing the vagina internally.
The DIP can be classified according to its severity as being:
- Stage 1: Inflammation of the endometrium and tubes, but no infection of the peritoneum;
- Stage 2: Inflammation of the fallopian tubes with infection of the peritoneum;
- Stage 3: Inflammation of the tubes with tubal occlusion or tube-ovarian involvement, and whole abscess;
- Stage 4: Broken tube-ovarian abscess, or purulent secretion in the cavity.
Pelvic inflammatory disease can be considered a sexually transmitted disease, but it is not always, as it is often related to endometriosis, which is a disease in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. Learn more about Endometriosis.
Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease can be very subtle, and women can not always perceive their signs and symptoms, which does not diminish their severity, and allows the involved microorganisms to continue to multiply, affecting tissues that are increasingly distant from the canal vaginal. In some cases the following symptoms may occur:
- Fever equal to or greater than 38 ° C;
- Pain in the womb during palpation;
- Vaginal bleeding outside of menstruation or after intercourse;
- Yellowish or greenish vaginal discharge with bad smell;
- Pain during close contact, especially during menstruation.
Read more about symptoms in: Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Women who are more likely to develop this type of inflammation are those who are between 15 and 25 years of age, do not use condoms in all sexual relationships, have several sexual partners, and those who have the habit of using the vaginal shower, which changes the vaginal flora facilitating the development of diseases.
What causes
Some situations that can cause a Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can be:
- Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or others;
- Contamination with germs during childbirth;
- Introduction of contaminated objects into the vagina during masturbation;
- Abortion;
- IUD insertion for less than 3 weeks;
- Endometrial biopsy or uterine curettage.
The diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease is not always easy but it can be done through blood tests, pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound. In the blood test, some results that help to arrive at this diagnosis are C reactive protein or elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and gonococcal or chlamydia infection , which are among the main causes of PID.
Forms of Treatment
Treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease can be done with the use of antibiotics orally or intramuscularly for about 14 days. In addition, resting is important, there is no intimate contact during treatment, not even with a condom to allow time for the tissues to heal, and withdrawal of the IUD, if appropriate.
An example of an antibiotic for pelvic inflammatory disease is azithromycin, but others, such as Levofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, Clindamycin or Ceftriaxone may also be indicated. When the patient does not show improvement in 3 days, she may have to be admitted to the hospital.
During treatment it is recommended that the sexual partner also be treated even if he has no symptoms to avoid recontamination and surgery may be necessary to treat inflammation of the uterine tubes or for drainage of abscesses. Learn more about Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Treatment.
Infertility and ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus grows outside the uterus, are the possible complications in some women who have chronic pelvic inflammatory disease.
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