Download Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - Birmingham Women`s Hospital

The doctor will usually take swabs from
inside your vagina and cervix, which will
be sent to a laboratory to try and find the
type of bacteria causing the infection.
However, not all women with PID have a
positive swab result (where a bacterium
has been indentified). Sometimes a blood
test or an ultrasound will be used to aid
the diagnosis.
What treatment is available?
Antibiotics are the main treatment and are
usually given for two weeks. This treatment
can be extended. Occasionally surgery may
be needed; for example if an abscess needs
to be drained.
How can I prevent PID?
The most effective way to prevent PID is to
protect yourself from sexually transmitted
infections. You can do this by using barrier
contraception during sex; such as a condom
or cervical cap. It is also important to
have regular sexual health check- ups at
your local sexual health clinic. Get a check
up if you change your partner or have
unprotected sex with a casual partner, or if
you think your partner has been having sex
with someone else.
For further information on PID you can
look at: www.patient.co.uk
Or ring NHS direct on: 0845 4647.
Birmingham Women's
NHS Foundation Trust
Pelvic Inflammatory
Disease
Does my partner need to be
treated?
Your current partner and any other sexual
partners within the past six months
should be tested for infection. A course
of antibiotics is usually advised whether
or not infection is found on testing. Your
partner can get information from the
Genitourinary (GUM) clinic or from their
GP.
You should not have sex until both you and
your partner have completed treatment.
Can my PID reoccur?
About 1 in 5 women who have had PID
have a further episode that is usually
within 2 years.
If you need more advice please contact:
Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston,
Birmingham B15 2TG
Telephone: 0121 472 1377
Authors: Miss Manjeet Shemah and Sita Singh
Ref: 0189 Date: 11/2016 Review: 11/2019
This is a no smoking hospital
What is this leaflet about?
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is quite
common where about 1 in 50 sexually
active women in the UK develop PID each
year. It is an infection of the reproductive
organs; your uterus, fallopian tubes and
sometimes ovaries.
UTERUS
FALLOPIAN TUBE
OVARY
In some cases, the cause of the infection
that leads to PID is unknown. These cases
may be the result of normally harmless
bacteria found in the vagina. Although
these bacteria are harmless to the vagina,
they can sometimes get past the cervix and
into the reproductive organs where they
can cause infection. Infection in this way is
most likely to happen when there has been
damage to the cervix or if you have had
PID before.
CERVIX
What increases the risk of
PID?
VAGINA
• Multiple sexual partners.
• Following termination of pregnancy,
miscarriage or childbirth.
• A recent operation or procedure to the
uterus including insertion of coil.
This leaflet gives information and advice
to those with PID and provides further
resources to contact should you have any
unanswered questions.
What are the causes of PID?
Many different types of bacteria can cause
PID. However, the most frequent causes
are by two common sexually transmitted
infections: chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Sometimes, the infections that lead to PID
may start as a result of bacteria introduced
into genital tract during a procedure to
take a sample of tissue from the inside of
the womb (endometrial biopsy), during
childbirth, an abortion or miscarriage.
• A previous episode of PID or sexually
transmitted disease.
miscarriage and premature birth are
increased in women with untreated PID.
• If you have had PID and become
pregnant you have a 1 in 10 chance
that it will be an ectopic pregnancy. (a
pregnancy that develops in a fallopian
tube) and can cause serious problems.
• An abscess (collection of pus) can
sometimes develop.
What are the symptoms of
PID?
Many women don’t know they have pelvic
inflammatory disease because they don’t
have any symptoms. The most common
symptom of PID is pain in your lower
abdomen. Other symptoms include:
• Discomfort or pain during sexual
intercourse that is felt deep inside the
pelvis.
• Bleeding between periods and after sex.
• Unusual vaginal discharge.
What are the possible
complications with PID?
If PID is diagnosed and treated early, in
most cases complications do no develop.
• Chronic pain develops in about 1 in 5
cases. This often includes pain during
sex.
• Infertility: PID can cause scarring or
damage to the fallopian tubes.
• The risk of developing some
complications of pregnancy such as
• Fever and vomiting.
• Pain in the back passage (rectum).
How do you diagnose PID?
There is no single test for diagnosing PID.
Your doctor will diagnose PID based on
your symptoms and on gynaecological
examination. When your doctor examines
you, they will look for abnormal vaginal
discharge and tenderness in your pelvic
region.