Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

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Endometritis

Female reproductive anatomy

Pelvic laparoscopy

Uterus

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

If you are diagnosed with mild PID, you may be given antibiotics and told to closely follow-up with your health care provider.

More severe cases may require you to stay in the hospital. Antibiotics are first given by IV, and then later by mouth. Surgery may be considered for complicated, persistent cases that do not respond to antibiotics. Any sexual partner(s) must also be treated. The use of condoms during treatment is essential.

PID infections can cause scarring and adhesions of the pelvic organs, possibly leading to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain.

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of PID. Also call if you think you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease or if treatment of a current STD does not seem to be working.

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.