PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
PREVALENCE:
There are about 1 million new cases of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (P.I.D.) each year.
TRANSMISSION:
P.I.D. develops when a bacterial infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea spreads from the vagina or cervix into the uterus and fallopian tubes. 99.9% of P.I.D. cases are caused by an untreated sexually transmitted infection.
INCUBATION:
A woman may have the initial infection for 3 months to 1 year or longer before P.I.D. develops.
SYMPTOMS:
While the original infection may or may not have produced symptoms, P.I.D. usually does. This may include abdominal or back pain, persistent cramps, fever, chills, pain during intercourse, fatigue and unusual vaginal bleeding.
The longer the woman has the infection, the more likely it is to cause complications. The tubes can become fully or partially blocked by scar tissue. This causes sterility in over 50,000 women each year. It also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy. The bacteria can also escape out the open ends of the tubes and infect the covering of the internal organs.
TREATMENT:
P.I.D. is treated by aggressively treating the original infection and bed rest. This may include hospitalization.
RECURRENCE:
Having had P.I.D. does not protect a person from getting it again, and actually may increase the likelihood that a future infection may result in P.I.D.
PREVENTION:
Two uninfected people with no sex partners besides each other cannot contract the infections that lead to P.I.D. If a person has more than one partner, a latex condom is a good defense if it is put on before starting sex and worn until the penis is withdrawn. There are no methods to detect an infection except through an exam and lab tests done by a health care worker. Washing the genitals, urinating, or douching after sex DOES NOT prevent the disease.