Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Pelvic laparoscopy

Female reproductive anatomy

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Alternative Names:

PID; Oophoritis; Salpingitis; Salpingo-oophoritis; Salpingo-peritonitis
Treatment:

Early diagnosis of mild PID may be treated on an outpatient basis with antibiotics and close follow-up.

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More complicated cases or those involving widespread or well-established infection may require inpatient care (hospitalization). Intravenous antibiotics are used, and usually followed with a course of oral antibiotics. Surgery may be considered for complicated, persistent cases that do not respond to adequate antibiotic treatment. Concurrent treatment of sexual partner(s) and the use of condoms throughout the course of treatment are essential.

Expectations (prognosis):

In 15% of cases, the initial antibiotic therapy fails, and 20% experience a recurrence of PID at some time during the reproductive years.

Complications:

The risk for ectopic pregnancy increases from 1 in 200 to 1 in 20 after having PID.

Infertility risks also increase:

15% risk of infertility following the 1st episode of PID
30% risk of infertility following 2 episodes of PID
50% risk of infertility following 3 or more episodes of PID

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if symptoms of PID occur. Also call if you suspect that you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease or if treatment of a current STD does not seem to be effective.