Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a bacterial infection affecting many parts of the women’s reproductive system, such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, and it is very common in the US. According to recent estimates, PID affects at least 5% of women in the US.
This guide will explore everything about pelvic inflammatory disease, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment.
Table of Contents
What Is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?
PID is an infection and can cause serious damage to your reproductive system if it’s not treated properly.
When you have sex with someone with chlamydia or gonorrhea, two types of bacteria that cause STDs, you may get infected with these bacteria yourself. Per CDC data, 1,579,885 cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infections were reported in the US in 2021.
If this happens to you, your body will start fighting against them by producing antibodies that fight off the infection in your tissues. But sometimes, these antibodies attack healthy tissue and harmful bacteria when battling an STD-related infection.
This causes inflammation in the affected area. This inflammation leads to pain during urination or intercourse and other symptoms such as fever and nausea.
How Does PID Affect Fertility?
If you have PID, your fertility can be affected in several ways.
- The inflammation caused by PID can damage the fallopian tubes and ovaries. This may make it difficult for you to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term. If you become pregnant, there’s a higher risk that your baby will be born prematurely or with low birth weight.
- The scarring that results from PID can also sometimes cause infertility by blocking sperm from reaching an egg or preventing an embryo from implanting properly in the uterus.
Such sexually transmitted infections can lead to infertility. In fact, a study published on the NCBI website shows that these infections are responsible for infertility in at least 24,000 women in the US alone.
What Causes PID?
Many things can cause PID, and some of these are listed below.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a leading cause of PID. STIs can be transmitted through sexual contact, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and genital herpes. If you think you may have been exposed to an STI or your partner has been diagnosed with an STI in the past few months, talk to your healthcare provider about getting tested before trying to conceive.
No STD test is 100% accurate, but urine tests are widely used for the same date. Specificity and sensitivity are the other criteria to confirm an infection. A urine test detects most STIs except genital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV causes cervical cancer and other types of cancer, so it’s essential to get vaccinated against HPV if you haven’t already done so.
Use of An Intrauterine Device (IUD)
If you’re considering using an IUD as birth control, remember that it has been linked to PID. Your doctor should be aware of this risk and can help you decide if the benefits of an IUD outweigh its risks.
If you have been diagnosed with PID, talk with your doctor about whether or not using a copper-based IUD is safe for you. Copper-based IUDs are more effective at preventing pregnancy than other types of birth control because they release copper into the uterus, which kills sperm cells before they reach an egg cell.
But there are side effects too, which can lead to PID. In fact, the use of the Paragard IUD led to several PID cases recently, which led to a lawsuit against the manufacturer. If you used Paragard IUD and faced any complications resulting in health conditions, you can also file a Paragard lawsuit.
To win the case, you will need help from an attorney or a law firm with personal injury and medical device case experience. Reading the reviews of a law firm can help you determine if the company can help you with your requirements.
TorHoerman Law, like any other law firm, also has a testimonials page on its website. The page includes testimonials from many past clients who talk about their experiences with the company on this page. One of the recent testimonials says that the client was kept informed about the status of his lawsuit throughout the process.
Douching or Using Vaginal Sprays
Using douches and vaginal sprays can lead to inflammation of the vagina, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease.
Douching is washing out your vagina with water or other fluids, usually regularly. Douching is often done to cleanse away bacteria that cause odor or make it uncomfortable. However, douching can cause more problems than it fixes and may even harm you.
Vaginal sprays are another way people try to keep their vaginas clean and healthy without washing them manually with soap or water. Instead, they spray something into their vaginas from an aerosol container like a hand sanitizer bottle filled with water mixed with baking soda or vinegar.
Diagnosis of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
The most common symptom of PID is pain in the lower abdomen. Other symptoms include fever, nausea and vomiting, unusual vaginal discharge or odor, painful intercourse, and swollen lymph nodes in the groin area or underarms.
PID can be diagnosed with a pelvic examination by your doctor. During this exam, they will feel for abnormalities inside your uterus, cervix, and ovaries using their fingers or an instrument called a speculum to open up your vagina so they can see inside better. You may also have blood tests done to check for STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea that cause PID.
Treatment for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
If you have pelvic inflammatory disease, treatment options include:
- Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat your infection and prevent further complications. Antibiotics are usually taken for about two weeks until the symptoms of PID disappear and the test results return negative for chlamydia or gonorrhea.
- Painkillers (analgesics). Painkillers such as ibuprofen can help ease pain caused by inflammation in your pelvis, but they won’t cure PID or stop it from spreading further into your body or organs if left untreated.
Conclusion
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a common condition that affects many women. It can cause pain in your lower abdomen and pelvic area and other symptoms such as fever and chills. If you experience these symptoms, you must see a doctor right away so they can diagnose what’s causing them and treat any infections before they become serious problems.
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