Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

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Endometritis

Female reproductive anatomy

Pelvic laparoscopy

Uterus

PID; Oophoritis; Salpingitis; Salpingo-oophoritis; Salpingo-peritonitis

The most common symptoms of PID include:

• Vaginal discharge with abnormal color, consistency or odor
• Abdominal pain
• Fever (not always present; may come and go)

Other nonspecific symptoms that may be seen with PID include:

• Chills
• Irregular menstrual bleeding or spotting
• Increased menstrual cramping
• Menstruation, absent
• Increased pain during ovulation
• Sexual intercourse, painful
• Bleeding after intercourse
• Low back pain
• Fatigue
• Lack of appetite
• Nausea, with or without vomiting
• Frequent urination
• Pain with urination
• Tenderness

Note: There may be no symptoms. People who experience ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies where the embryo implants in the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus) or infertility are often found to have silent PID, which is usually caused by chlamydia infection.

You may have a fever and abdominal tenderness. A pelvic examination may show that you have cervical discharge, pain with movement of the cervix during the exam, a cervix that bleeds easily, or uterine or ovarian tenderness.

Tests and procedures may include:

• WBC
• ESR (sed rate)
• Wet prep or wet mount microscopic examination
• Serum HCG ( pregnancy test )
• Endocervical culture for gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other organisms
• Laparoscopy
• Pelvic ultrasound or CT scan

Review Date: 09/19/2006
Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.