Causes

Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when certain bacteria enter the body. Most cases of the disease are caused by the same organisms responsible for bacterial sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. However, bacteria can also enter the body during childbirth or through procedures such as insertion of an intrauterine device.

The following are risk factors for the disease:

• Sexual activity during adolescence
• Multiple sexual partners
• History of a sexually transmitted disease
• Use of nonbarrier type contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices or oral contraceptives

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease include:

• Unusual vaginal discharge—abnormal in color, consistency, or odor
• Abdominal pain
• Fever

Other nonspecific symptoms may also be present, such as chills, irregular menstrual bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse or ovulation, low-back pain, fatigue, and nausea. Sometimes, pelvic inflammatory disease has no symptoms.

To find out if you have pelvic inflammatory disease, your doctor will do blood tests and a cervical exam. You may also need to have other tests, such as an ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan.

Treatment

If pelvic inflammatory disease is caught early and has no complications, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. However, hospitalization or intravenous antibiotics may be needed if the infection is more serious. Surgery is usually not recommended unless complications develop or the disease continues even after you have finished taking antibiotics.

Prevention

The best way to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease is to keep harmful bacteria from entering the vagina.

• Avoid sexual intercourse and use of tampons when the cervix may be partially open, such as right after childbirth, a miscarriage, or an abortion.
• If you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, get tested for the disease right away. The earlier you can be treated, the better chance you have of avoiding pelvic inflammatory disease.
• If you use an intrauterine device, have it checked regularly.

Self-Care

In addition to taking antibiotics, women who have pelvic inflammatory disease can take steps at home to relieve their symptoms.

• Get plenty of rest, particularly if you have a fever.
• Avoid sexual intercourse, and do not insert anything into the vagina, such as tampons.
• Take a hot bath or apply heat to your lower abdomen to relieve pain.