How do you get a pelvic infection

What is PID?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is a serious infection that develops when certain STDs or other infections aren’t treated. It can cause chronic pain and infertility.

What causes PID?

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease — also called PID — is an infection in your uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. PID happens when bacteria moves from your vagina and cervix to other parts of your body. It can lead to chronic pain and other serious health problems, like infertility.

PID is usually caused by 2 sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia or gonorrhea. These STDs can be cured easily with antibiotics, but many people don’t know they have them because they usually don’t have symptoms — that’s why getting tested for STDs is so important.

If they’re not treated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to PID. PID can also be caused by other untreated infections, like bacterial vaginosis.

PID is common — more than a million people get it every year.

What pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms should I look for?

Many people don’t know they have pelvic inflammatory disease in its earlier stages. PID often doesn’t show any symptoms, or the symptoms are so mild you don’t feel them — especially when you first get the infection. The longer you have PID, the worse the symptoms tend to get.

PID symptoms may include:

  • longer, heavier or more painful periods

  • pain in your belly

  • being very tired

  • fever or chills
  • bad-smelling vaginal discharge
  • pain during sex

If you have any of these symptoms, go to your doctor or to your local Planned Parenthood health center right away. PID can be dangerous if you don’t get treated.

Some PID symptoms can be mistaken for other health problems, like appendicitis or endometriosis. So getting checked out by a doctor is the only way to know for sure what’s going on.

What are the complications of PID?

If PID isn’t treated, it can lead to serious health problems that are sometimes life-threatening. The infection may spread to other parts of your body. PID can increase your risk for ectopic pregnancy, which can be life-threatening. People with PID can experience chronic pain in their lower belly, and infertility.

The longer you have PID, the more likely it is that you’ll have dangerous long-term health problems and infertility. That’s why it’s really important to have any symptoms checked out by a doctor, and get tested regularly for STDs — the sooner, the better.

PID can be treated. But treatment might not be able to undo damage (like scarring) caused by long-term PID infections.

How can I prevent PID?

Getting tested for STDs is one of the best ways to prevent PID, because PID is usually caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea. Most people with chlamydia or gonorrhea don’t have any symptoms, so testing is the only way to know for sure if you have one of these infections.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics — and the sooner you (and any sexual partners) get tested and treated, the lower your risk is for developing PID. You can also help prevent these and other STDs by having safer sex and using condoms every time you have sex.

And hormonal birth control does NOT prevent sexually transmitted infections, so even if you’re using birth control you’re at risk for STDs. So it’s a good idea to use a condom with your birth control to prevent STDs that can turn into PID.

Douching is generally not healthy for your vagina, and can cause irritation and infections. Douching may also lead to PID, because it pushes bacteria deeper into your body. So don’t douche!

PID is really common, and it’s easy to develop PID without knowing it. That’s why it’s so important to get tested for STDs and see a doctor if you notice any symptoms of PID.

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Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the organs of a women’s reproductive system. They include the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix. It’s usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), like chlamydia or gonorrhea.

PID can cause pain in your lower belly and hurt your ability to have a baby if it’s not treated properly. About 770,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with PID each year.

What Are the Symptoms of PID?

You might not notice any symptoms of PID early on. But as the infection gets worse, you can have:

  • Pain in your lower belly and pelvis
  • Heavy discharge from your vagina with an unpleasant odor
  • More bleeding than usual during your period
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Pain during sex
  • Fever and chills
  • Pain when you pee or a hard time going
  • Throwing up, or feeling like you’re going to throw up

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. Some can also be signs of other conditions, so your doctor will most likely run some tests to figure out whether you have PID or something else.

PID can cause serious problems if it’s not treated. For example, you might have trouble getting pregnant or have pain in your pelvic area that doesn’t go away.

In some cases, PID can bring on more intense symptoms, and you’ll need to go to the emergency room. Get medical help right away if you have:

  • Severe pain in your lower belly
  • Signs of shock, like fainting
  • Vomiting
  • Fever higher than 101 F

Some of these also can be signs of other serious medical conditions, like appendicitis or an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that happens outside the womb). You would need medical help right away for these as well.

Signs of an STI

Treating a STI right away can help keep you from getting PID. Symptoms of STI are a lot like those of PID. They include heavy discharge from your vagina with an unpleasant odor, pain when you pee, and bleeding between periods.

Call your doctor as soon as you notice any of these to lower your chances of PID.

How Is PID Diagnosed?

When you visit your doctor, they’ll probably give you a pelvic examination. They’ll check for signs of tenderness in your cervix, uterus, or surrounding organs (ovaries and fallopian tubes).

They’ll also:

  • Look for signs of any fluid in the vagina or cervix that doesn’t look right
  • Ask about your symptoms and your medical and sexual history
  • Take your temperature

Your doctor may check fluid samples under a microscope and send cultures for gonorrhea and chlamydia to the lab.

They might also recommend some tests including:

  • A blood test to check for sexually transmitted infection
  • An ultrasound to make a picture of your internal organs

If the exam or your tests show a high suspicion for PID, your doctor will talk to you about what treatment you need to get rid of it.

Should You Tell Your Partner?

If your doctor diagnoses PID, you should tell anyone you’ve had sex with in the past 60 days about your illness. If it’s been longer than 60 days since you’ve had sex, tell your most recent partner, who should also get treated.

You should not have sex while you’re undergoing treatment for PID, and neither should your partner.

How Is PID Treated?

If you have PID, your doctor will most likely treat you with antibiotics, but sometimes you may need to be admitted to the hospital.

Several different types of antibiotics have been found to work against the illness, and you may be given several types to take together. You’ll most likely be taking antibiotics for 2 weeks. You should always follow the directions and take all of them, even if you feel better.

Your symptoms should improve within 3 days. If they don’t, you should go back to your doctor, because you may need to try something else.

In more serious cases, your treatment may include a stay in the hospital. There may be several reasons for this:

  • You’ve been taking antibiotics and your symptoms aren’t improving. Your doctor might ask you to take more tests to figure out why.
  • You need to take antibiotics with an IV. If you’re not able to keep pills down, for instance, your doctor will want you to get antibiotics directly into your body with intravenous fluids.
  • You’ve developed what’s called a “tubo-ovarian abscess.” This happens when part of an ovary or fallopian tube fills with infected fluid that needs to be drained. IV antibiotics are usually given first to see if they’ll clear up the infection.
  • You are sick to your stomach, vomiting, or running a high fever. Your doctor might not be able to rule out another abdominal problem, such as appendicitis.

Can you have a pelvic infection without having an STD?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of a woman's reproductive organs. It is a complication often caused by some STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other infections that are not sexually transmitted can also cause PID.

Is a pelvic infection an STD?

PID is a serious complication of chlamydia and gonorrhea, two of the most common reportable infectious diseases and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the US. Women with PID may present with a variety of clinical signs and symptoms that range from unnoticeable or subtle and mild to severe.

How does a pelvic infection feel?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman's reproductive organs. It's usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection. Symptoms include stomach, lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge. Prompt PID treatment, usually antibiotics, helps avoid complications such as infertility.

How long does it take for a pelvic infection to go away?

To fully treat PID, you may need to take one or more antibiotics. Taking antibiotic medicine will help clear the infection in about 2 weeks.