Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) occurs when sexually transmitted bacteria spreads from the vagina to the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes and infects the woman’s reproductive organs. PID could cause pain in the lower abdomen or cause discharge from the vagina. One usually contacts PID through unprotected sex though it is learnt that 15% of these infections are not sexually transmitted.

PID can impact the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes, part of the female reproductive system. Besides being painful, it can pose challenges to the woman’s attempts to conceive in the future. The disease could also lead to a pelvic infection called TOA (tubo-ovarian abscess), which is quite stubborn and serious.

Why PID Symptoms Are Often Missed

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the reproductive organs, often arising from an untreated sexually transmitted infection or, less commonly, other causes of uterine infection. Pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms can include pelvic pain, unusual discharge, fever, or pain during intercourse, though symptoms are sometimes mild enough to be missed entirely. Because symptoms can be mild or absent altogether, PID sometimes goes undiagnosed until a routine examination or fertility investigation brings it to light.