What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a chronic infection that affects the uterus (womb), the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. It is usually caused by a sexually transmitted disease, specifically chlamydia and/or gonorrhea. PID can be life threatening if left untreated.

Who is Most at Risk of Developing PID?

Certain factors increase a woman’s chances of developing PID. Pelvic inflammatory disease is most common in sexually active women of childbearing age, especially females between the ages of 15 and 25. It is less likely to develop in women over 25 years of age. The reason for this is that the cervix of young women is not yet fully matured as an older woman’s is, therefore their susceptibility to catching an STD is higher.

 Multiple sex partners also increase the risk of developing PID. And the more partners the other person has (or had in the past), increases the risk even more because there is a higher degree of exposure.

Past infections are also a factor as are the effects of douching. Research has shown that douching is not very healthy for women to do as it alters the vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina naturally) in bad ways and can actually push harmful bacteria in the vagina into the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. As a result of this, women who douche tend to have a higher risk of developing PID. Another reason douching is not good is that it often masks signs of an infection and therefore the woman doesn’t seek treatment for a problem she is unaware she has.

Using an Intrauterine Device (IUD) has also been shown to put a woman at higher risk of contracting pelvic inflammatory disease. But the risks for women using this contraceptive method is lowered when a woman is tested, and if it is necessary, treated, for a sexually transmitted disease before the IUD is inserted.