Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a general term used for the infection and inflammation of the organs in the female upper genital tract (uterus, uterine tubes and ovaries). PID is usually the result of a bacterial infection in the vagina and the uterine col, which spreads to the internal genital organs. In most cases, infections that cause PID are sexually transmitted.



There are little to notice as pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms in men so in these cases the condition is detected with a bit of difficulty. However, the best way to detect pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms in men is to check their women partners. It is estimated that 1.7% of women are suffering from PID. The condition is definitely under-diagnosed, because most women are not aware that the illness is there either because there are no symptoms or because they do not know the cause of these symptoms.

PID can include infection and inflammation of the uterine tubes, of the uterine mucous, of the ovaries, of one uterine tube and the ovary on the same side. Countless women with PID do not show signs and symptoms, which is why they are not undergoing treatment. Thus, PID is detected later, when the woman has difficulty getting pregnant or when she is suffering from chronic pelvic pain. The signs and symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease consist of pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis, abundant vaginal secretion with an unpleasant odor, pain during sexual intercourse, lumbar pain, fever, fatigue, diarrhea or throwing up, painful or difficult urination.

The first signs consist of irritation and abnormal vaginal secretions, occurring 2-5 days after infection in cases of gonorrhea and in 7-21 days for Chlamydia. Countless women present vaginal secretions that are not due to sexually transmitted diseases. But if there are changes in the aspect of the secretion (if it gains a foul smell or is accompanied by itchiness), especially after several days since sexual intercourse, then there can be causes to suspect a sexually transmitted diseases.

Pelvic inflammatory disease can be caused by several types of bacteria, but in most of the cases these are the bacteria responsible for the transmission of two sexually transmitted diseases: gonorrhea and Chlamydia. The bacteria causing Chlamydia is responsible for 50% of PID cases. The bacteria causing gonorrhea is responsible for 14% of cases. Some 8% of women with PID are infected with both types of bacteria. Some contraceptive methods can increase the risk of PID.



However, other contraceptive measures, such as the condom or the diaphragm, can reduce the risk of PID. The use of oral contraceptives alone does not offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases. However, it does offer some indirect protection against the occurrence of PID through the fact that it causes thicker cervical mucus, so that bacteria cannot easily reach the upper genital tract. On rare occasions, the cause of the infection leading to PID is not identified – it is believed that in these cases, harmless bacteria, usually present in the vagina and uterine col, are responsible for this disease.