Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
What is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection or inflammation of the
female reproductive system
. It can affect one or more organs including the:
cervix
uterus (womb) and endometrium (lining of the uterus)
fallopian tubes
ovaries.
PID can cause chronic pelvic pain in some people, while in others symptoms can be mild or silent – meaning some people may not even know they have PID.
PID is treatable, if left untreated it can cause:
infertility
ectopic pregnancy
damage to the
reproductive system
.
PID can affect anyone, but sexually active women in their 20s are commonly affected.
PID usually occurs over 3 stages:
starting in the cervix
followed by the endometrium
then the fallopian tubes.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) causes
PID is usually caused by a bacterial infection. The most common cause are
sexually transmissible infections (STIs)
mainly:
chlamydia
gonorrhoea
mycoplasma
genitalium
External Link
.
Other causes of PID include:
ruptured (burst) appendix
bowel infection (such as
gastroenteritis
)
vaginal infections (such as
bacterial vaginosis or BV
)
some surgical procedures (such as
dilatation and curettage (D&C)
, insertion of an
intrauterine device (IUD)
or
surgical abortion
).
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) symptoms
For some, it can be hard to tell if you have PID because there may not be any obvious symptoms. That’s why it’s important to have
regular health checks
and get tested for
STIs
at least once a year
if you are sexually active
.
Signs and symptoms of PID can include:
lower
abdominal pain
or tenderness that may worsen with movement
menstrual problems (such as
painful periods
,
ovulation pain
, heavy discharge)
change in smell, colour or amount of vaginal discharge (such as unpleasant or ‘fishy’ odour)
bleeding and spotting after sex
painful sex (dyspareunia)
fever
nausea and vomiting.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility risk
If left untreated, PID can cause long-term scarring and blockage of the fallopian tubes. This may lead to
infertility
because the fertilised egg is unable to pass through the fallopian tube to the uterus (womb).
If you have had PID, you may be at a greater risk of having an
ectopic pregnancy
(where the foetus develops outside the uterus).
Having PID may have an impact on your fertility in the following ways:
One episode of PID can double your risk of tubal infertility.
If you have had 3 or more episodes of PID, your risk of fallopian tube blockage increases 75%
One episode of PID increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy (where the fetus develops outside the uterus) sevenfold.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) diagnosis
If you have any symptoms, see your doctor. Your doctor will do a physical examination and test for possible causes (such as
chlamydia
and
gonorrhoea
).
Depending on the cause of your PID, diagnosis may include:
a physical examination of your pelvic area to check for tenderness and swelling
blood tests
urine test
swabs of the vagina and cervix
ultrasound
(pelvic or transvaginal)
laparoscopy
– in some cases, this is required to correctly diagnose PID. During this procedure, a sample of tissue (
biopsy
) may be taken.
Laparoscopy is performed under
general anaesthetic
. A thin tube with a small camera at the end (called an endoscope) is inserted into your belly button to see your reproductive organs.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) treatment
Persistent pelvic pain can occur if PID is not treated. This is usually due to extensive scarring.
Early treatment of PID may minimise the risk of complications.
Treatment usually involves:
a combination of antibiotics that act against a range of organisms (usually taken for 2 weeks)
avoiding sexual contact until you have finished your treatment and you have no symptoms
testing your partners and treating them
if an
IUD
is the cause, your doctor may organise to have it removed and suggest other forms of treatment
in rare cases, a
stay in hospital
. This can happen for various reasons including – severe symptoms, uncertain diagnosis, abscesses, or you are unresponsive to recommended treatments.
Preventing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
To help reduce your risk of PID and transmitting the bacteria that causes it:
Practise safe sex
– use
condoms (external
and
internal
) during any form of sexual contact (including vaginal,
oral
or anal sex) with your partner/s.
If you are sexually active, get tested at least every 12 months for STIs.
Get tested for STIs
– more regularly if you have multiple sexual partners (including casual partners) over a short period.
See your GP or health clinic if you notice any symptoms or suspect you may have PID.
If you are
planning to start a family
or are
pregnant
, get tested for STIs.
If you have an STI, let your sexual partners know. If you feel uncomfortable, your GP or sexual health centre can help. You can also notify partners anonymously through the
Let Them Know
website
External Link
.
Where to get help
Your GP (doctor)
A gynaecologist or obstetrician
Your local community health service
Women’s Health Information
Centre
External Link
, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne Tel.
(03) 8345 3045
, regional or rural callers Tel.
1800 442 007
Nurse-on-Call
Tel.
1300 60 60 24
– for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
Jean Hailes Persistent Pelvic Pain
Service
External Link
Tel.
(03) 9562 7555
Your
pharmacist
External Link
1800 My
Options
External Link
– Victoria’s sexual and reproductive health information and phone line service Tel. 1800 My Options (
1800 696 784
)
Sexual Health Victoria
(SHV)
External Link
–
book an appointment
online
External Link
or call Melbourne CBD Clinic:
(03) 9660 4700
, Box Hill Clinic:
(03) 9257 0100
or (free call):
1800 013 952
(Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm). These services are youth friendly.
Melbourne Sexual Health
Centre
External Link
(Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 5 pm) Tel.
(03) 9341 6200
or
1800 032 017
or National Relay Service (for people with a hearing impairment)
(03) 9341 6200
Victorian Sexual Health Network – where to get
tested
External Link
– visit Melbourne Sexual Health Centre’s GP partner clinics for STI check-ups and treatment
Partner Notification Officers can help you anonymously notify your sexual partners. Tel.
- 9096 3367
Let Them
Know
External Link
– free and anonymous service
Thorne Harbour Health (formerly Victorian AIDS
Council)
External Link
Tel.
(03) 9865 6700
or
1800 134 840
(toll free)
The Centre
Clinic
External Link
, St Kilda Tel.
(03) 9525 5866
Equinox Gender Diverse Health
Centre
External Link
(Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm) Tel.
(03) 9416 2889
or email:
equinoxadmin@thorneharbour.org
PRONTO!
External Link
Clinic for men who have sex with men. Book online or Tel. Tel.
(03) 9416 2889
Ballarat Community Health Sexual Health
Clinic
External Link
– book online or Tel.
(03) 5338 4541
Bendigo Community Health Services Sexual and Reproductive Health
Hub
External Link
– book online Tel.
(03) 5406 1200
or
(03) 5448 1600
Gateway Health Sexual and Reproductive Health – Clinic
35
External Link
, Wodonga (Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm) Tel.
(02) 6022 8888
and Wangaratta Tel.
(03) 5723 2000
or email:
Sunraysia Community Health
Services,
External Link
Mildura (Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 5 pm) Tel.
(03) 5022 5444
or email to:
Barwon Health Sexual Health
Clinic
External Link
(no GP referral, walk-in service Tuesdays 2 pm – 6:30 pm) Tel.
(03) 5226 7489
Victorian Aboriginal Health
Service
External Link
Fitzroy: Tel.
(03) 9419 3000
and Preston Tel.
(03) 9403 3300
(Monday to Friday 10 am – 4 pm) and after-hours locum service Tel.
132 660
or Epping: Tel.
(03) 8592 3920
(Monday to Thursday 9 am-5 pm, Friday 9 am-4 pm)