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Pelvic inflammatory disease, also known as PID, is an inflammation that originates in the vagina and that progresses affecting the uterus, as well as the tubes and ovaries, spreading over a large pelvic area, and most often it is the result of a infection that has not been properly treated.
DIP can be classified according to its severity as:
- Stage 1: Inflammation of the endometrium and tubes, but without infection of the peritoneum;
- Stage 2: Inflammation of the tubes with infection of the peritoneum;
- Stage 3: Inflammation of the tubes with tubal occlusion or tube-ovarian involvement, and intact abscess;
- Stage 4: Ruptured ovarian tube abscess, or purulent secretion in the cavity.
This disease mainly affects adolescents and sexually active young people, with several sexual partners, who do not use condoms and who maintain the habit of washing the vagina internally.
Despite being normally related to sexually transmitted infections, PID can also be related to other situations such as the placement of an IUD or endometriosis, which is a situation in which the tissue of the endometrium grows outside the uterus. Learn more about endometriosis.
Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease can be very subtle, and women are not always able to perceive its signs and symptoms, favoring the proliferation of microorganisms and resulting in greater inflammation of the genital region. In some situations some signs and symptoms can be identified, such as:
- Fever equal to or greater than 38ºC;
- Pain in the belly, during its palpation;
- Vaginal bleeding outside menstruation or after sexual intercourse;
- Yellowish or greenish vaginal discharge with a bad smell;
- Pain during intimate contact, especially during menstruation.
Women who are more likely to develop this type of inflammation are those between 15 and 25 years of age, do not use condoms at all times, who have several sexual partners, and those who are in the habit of using the vaginal shower, which changes the vaginal flora facilitating the development of diseases.
Main causes
Pelvic inflammatory disease is usually related to the proliferation of microorganisms and the lack of adequate treatment. The main cause of PID are sexually transmitted microorganisms, which, in these cases, may be the result of gonorrhea or chlamydia, for example.
In addition, PID can develop as a consequence of infection at delivery, introduction of contaminated objects into the vagina during masturbation, IUD placement less than 3 weeks, endometriosis or after performing an endometrial biopsy or uterine curettage.
The diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease is not always easy, but it can be done by performing blood tests, and imaging tests such as pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound.
How is the treatment
Treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease can be done using antibiotics orally or intramuscularly for about 14 days. In addition, it is important to rest, absence of intimate contact during treatment, not even with a condom to allow time for the tissues to heal, and the removal of the IUD, if applicable.
An example of an antibiotic for pelvic inflammatory disease is Azithromycin, but others, such as Levofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, Clindamycin or Ceftriaxone may also be indicated. 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 fallopian tubes or to drain abscesses. Understand how DIP treatment is done.