PID

What Is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Julie Lynn Marks
By Medically Reviewed by 
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman’s reproductive organs.

It happens when bacteria from your vagina and cervix spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.

If untreated, PID can cause pelvic pain and problems getting pregnant.

Signs and Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Many women with PID don’t have any signs or symptoms. But some experience extreme pain and other symptoms that come on quickly.

Symptoms of PID may include:

  • Pain in the pelvis, lower abdomen, or lower back
  • Pain during intercourse
  • Heavy vaginal discharge that has an unpleasant odor
  • Painful or difficult urination
  • Irregular menstrual bleeding
  • Menstrual cramps that are more painful than usual
  • Fever and chills
  • Nausea or vomiting

Causes and Risk Factors of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

You can get PID anytime bacteria enter the reproductive tract.

Most often, PID is caused by the same bacteria that cause chlamydia and gonorrhea, which are sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These bacteria are usually spread during unprotected sex.

Less commonly, PID can happen after childbirth, an abortion, douching, a miscarriage, or, in rare cases, after the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD).

You’re at higher risk for PID if you:

  • Have an STI
  • Are sexually active and are younger than 25
  • Have unprotected sex
  • Have had PID or an STI in the past
  • Douche your vagina
  • Have more than one sexual partner
  • Have a partner who has more than one sexual partner

How Is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Diagnosed?

Doctors can diagnose PID during a simple pelvic exam. If you’ve been experiencing pain in your pelvic region, your doctor will check for:

  • Tenderness in your reproductive organs
  • Pus near your ovaries or fallopian tubes
  • Irregular discharge from your cervix or vagina

Your doctor may also order tests to help make a diagnosis. These tests may include:

Prognosis

The longer you have untreated PID, the more you risk having long-term health issues and infertility (inability to get pregnant), so it’s important to get evaluated as soon as possible if you have any of the symptoms above.

Prompt treatment can cure PID. Still, antibiotic treatment can’t undo damage (like scarring) already caused by chronic PID.

Duration of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

With antibiotic treatment, PID usually clears up within two weeks, and most people will start to feel better within a few days.

Getting rest is important for recovery. If your infection is serious, you may need a few days of bed rest.

Treatment and Medication Options for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Your healthcare provider will most likely prescribe a combination of antibiotics to treat your PID. It's important to finish all your prescribed antibiotics, even if you’re feeling better.

If you have a very serious infection that doesn’t improve with standard treatment using oral antibiotics, you may need to begin treatment with intravenous (IV) antibiotics — and, later, take additional antibiotic pills — or have surgery to repair or remove your reproductive organs.

You should avoid sexual intercourse until your PID has been effectively treated.

Any sexual partners should also be treated if your infection was caused by an STI.

Prevention of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

You can help prevent PID by:

Practicing Safe Sex Use a condom when you have sex and limit your number of sexual partners.

Not Douching This cleansing method can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your vagina.

Getting Tested for STIs Treating an STI as early as possible can lower your chances of getting PID.

Asking Your Partner to Get Tested This can help prevent the spread of STIs.

Complications of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

If PID isn’t treated, it can cause scarring of the pelvic organs, which can lead to:

  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • An ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb)
  • Infertility
  • An abscess in the fallopian tubes or ovaries

It’s important to see a doctor right away if you think you may have PID. Antibiotics can treat your infection, but they won’t reverse any permanent damage that has already occurred in your internal organs.

Research and Statistics: Who Has Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

Approximately 4.4 percent of women ages 18 to 44 have been diagnosed with PID at some point in their lives. This equates to about 2.5 million women in the United States.

Rates of PID are highest in women who have previously had an STI.

Black Women and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Black and white women who have had an STI in the past report having PID at almost the same rates (10 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively).

But among women who have never had an STI, the prevalence of PID in Black American women is 2.2 times the rate of white women, according to a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reason could be that Black women are more likely to have had an undiagnosed, asymptomatic STI; or that Black women may be less likely to receive a diagnosis for a symptomatic STI because of less access to healthcare.

Related Conditions of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

PID may be related to the following conditions:

  • Infertility According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1 in 10 women with PID will become infertile because of scarring in the fallopian tubes.
  • STIs Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the main causes of PID.

Resources We Love

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC’s comprehensive coverage of PID explains what this disease is and how it’s treated; it also outlines the possible complications that can occur and provides the latest statistics on the condition.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

ACOG is a trusted source for Everyday Health editors, with easy-to-understand info on PID, including a helpful glossary of terms.

Mayo Clinic

A go-to resource for Everyday Health editors, the Mayo Clinic has up-to-date info on the basics of PID, as well as what to expect from your healthcare provider and tips on coping with a PID diagnosis.

Additional reporting by Abigail Libers.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

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