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Tag: Pelvic inflammatory disease

  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and Effects on Fertility

    PID is fairly a common illness, especially in women, who are under 50, and who are within the reproductive age group. This is not to say that PID does not occur in those who are over 50. It does, but not as frequent. The reason for this disparity is seen in how PID develops as explained below.

    As the name implies, pelvic inflammatory disease is inflammation of the female pelvic area. The pelvic area is the space in both male and female that houses the reproductive organs of the respective genders.

    Why are women vulnerable to PID? By the very nature of the way   the female reproductive organs are made and arranged within the pelvis, they make the female more vulnerable to infections. Also, the way the female is made to perform its reproductive functions by being the recipient party in the reproductive process, makes the deposit of sperms, germs and foreign body possible in the female pelvic cavity compared to the male gender.

     

    Impact of PID on Fertility

     

    PID may cause difficulty with sex. It may cause blockade of the fallopian tubes, thus disallowing the sperms to meet the female egg leading to childlessness.

     

    What causes PID?

     

    In general, PID is caused by infections. Most commonly, by infections that are sexually transmitted (STD),  but not exclusively. Among the common causes are bacteria like chlamydia and gonorrheoa-causing bacteria.

    Other bacterias that are really not classed as sexually transmitted are E.coli, staphylococcus and klebsiella. Thus, PID may be caused just by any bacteria such as tuberculous bacteria and one causing syphilis that finds itself to the reproductive tract of the female.  Also, less commonly, viruses may also cause PID.  Rarely, PID may be due to chemicals agents such as chemicals of whatever origin inserted by the individual female or during surgical procedure by the doctors.

     

    Conditions that make the female vulnerable to PID (How they could get PID?)

     

    A woman is at risk of getting PID if she has multiple sexual partners or even a single partner with infection. In such cases, risk of transfer of infection from one partner to the other is high. Childbirth, getting, contraceptive device called IUCD, during surgery such as endometrial sampling of the womb lining, during abortion or miscarriage predispose women to PID.  Having sex before  20 years carries the risk of PID for the woman. The infection from the vaginal migrates towards the cervix and tubes to other parts of the pelvis to spread the infection.

    What are the Symptoms of PID?

     

    You may not even have a symptom at all and you may never know you have PID until very late when complications had set in. Fever may occur in acute case of PID depending on the cause. Yet, in symptomatic persons, fever, pain in the abdomen, swelling of the lower abdomen, vomiting are what sufferers could experience along with vaginal discharge that may be offensive.

    When the doctor sees the patient, the sign could be one of severe tenderness in the abdomen along with swelling and vaginal discharge.

    In chronic PID, pain may endure and swelling and vaginal discharge. However, complications may have set in with collection of pus in pockets within the pelvis (pelvic abscess). Vaginal discharge may continue.

     

    Complications

     

    The entire or parts of the reproductive tract may be damaged beyond repair, especially the tubes may become blocked and cause infertility. Other organs may become matted and inseparable thus causing continuing pain, swelling and discomfort. In both acute and chronic PID, sexual activity may become painful and difficult leading more to fertility and relationship problems.  Even if pregnancy occurs, a woman suffering from PID risks having ectopic pregnancy.  PID may also cause oophoritis or inflammation of the ovary as well as salpingo-oophoritis.

     

    Treatment

    Any pain located in the pelvis in a woman should be taken seriously and a visit to the doctor to determine if it’s PID or other causes of pain, is important.  Almost certainly, some tests and physical examination of the victim will be carried out and appropriate treatment including antibiotics and pain killer given. The sexual partner(s) will also need to be treated to avoid re-transfer of infection.

     

    Prevention

     

    Stick with one sexual partner who has no infection. Use condom if having additional sexual intercourse with a different sexual partner. The absolute prevention is abstinence from sex. Get your partner tested for STD before you start to have sex. You may also get screened yearly for STDs.

    Get to your doctor as soon as you have any of the symptoms that are discussed here.

  • Common gynaecological emergencies (PID)

    Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is peculiar to the female gender because of the way the female body had been constructed. PID is common and can be disabling as well as damaging to the reproduction of the female and the spouse. PID reduces the chance of conception of the woman and if in relationship, PID diminish the potential of the woman to get pregnant or retain pregnancy.

    PID is the inflammation of the female reproductive structures and surrounding organs.  It’s almost exclusively confined to sexually active women. The sexual partner may be infected too.

    It’s very rare in female children except if such child has been sexually abused by an adult or accidental insertion of germs into the reproductive tract.

     

    What Causes PID?

     

    Any germ can cause PID. However, in keeping with the nature of PID,  being seen most commonly in sexually active persons, it makes good sense to link PID with sexually transmissible diseases.  That is to say that gonorrhoea, (gonococcus) and Chlamydia are common agents causing PID. Others are staphylococcus, syphilis, E.coli and indeed any other bacteria. Of more worrying is when tuberculosis is responsible for PID.  Viruses can also cause PID as are parasites and these may not be discovered as the causes. Fungus or yeast may also be responsible but it’s rare.

     

    How do you know, you have PID?

     

    Pain is often the main symptom. The pain can be located in the tummy or lower. The pain can be gripping or peppery. Pain killer may relieve the pain to give a false impression of  security.  PID especially one caused by bacteria may be associated with vaginal discharge of different colours. Normally, vaginal discharge could be light cream or plain. But in PID, this simplicity of discharge can be so different, be more in quantity and offensive. Menstrual period can become very painful, crampy and heavy. In acute PID (acute means: the one that happens /causing urgency and right now) could come with fever as it so often does. The woman could become very ill indeed. She could have nausea and vomiting. Sexual intercourse may become painful.

    PID may also develop if there’s been damage to the cervix of the woman following childbirth or during a miscarriage or the woman have had a procedure that involves opening the cervix – such as during an abortion, inspection of the womb by the doctor or nurse, or insertion of an intrauterine contraceptive device (coil or IUCD).

    From the foregoing, PID may mimic such illnesses as ectopic pregnancy, torsion of the ovary, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction. I will deal with some of these in the next sets of articles

     

    What are the likely complications that may develop following PID?

     

    Pain during sex may become a problem for the couple when the female partner has acute or long standing PID. As I have mentioned earlier, menstrual period may become heavy and painful. Also, the abdomen may become swollen as a result of pus collecting in the pelvic areas.

    Depending on the age and desire for a family of the woman, PID is a major cause of childlessness because it may cause blockage of the Fallopian tubes that transport the eggs, sperms and if fertilization occurs, the embryo. Pregnancy in the midst of infection is almost impossible. Therefore, untreated PID may result in miscarriage of a pregnancy. The much feared ectopic pregnancy which we will discuss next week, can and frequently does results from PID.

     

    Prevention

     

    Since PID is mostly found with sexually transmitted diseases, it makes perfect sense that couples should stick to one partner each.  Consider the use of barrier method of family planning such as condoms if this is not possible.  Sadly, infections such as chlamydia are silent and you may not experience any symptom while it becomes established. However, once you experience a sense of being unwell, you should have a medical as soon as possible. It goes without saying that abortion, legal or not, should be done in a healthy and clean environment using well sterilized tools.

     

    Treatment

     

    PID could be very damaging though it rarely kills. Acute PID may be dealt with, with relative ease. The treatment will certainly involve use of carefully selected antibiotics. Such antibiotics will target the suspected bacteria. PID is not what a lay person can deal with at home. Chronic PID is a major concern to gynaecologists as this is not just difficult to treat but a challenge to achieving pregnancy.  If a coil has been put in the womb, this will need to be removed to aid healing. The attending doctor will certainly prescribe pain killers as part of the treatment even though such medication is not necessarily the main form of treatment.

  • Common gynaecological emergencies (PID)

    Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is peculiar to the female gender because of the way the female body had been constructed. PID is common and can be disabling as well as damaging to the reproduction of the female and the spouse. PID reduces the chance of conception of the woman and if in relationship, PID diminish the potential of the woman to get pregnant or retain pregnancy.

    PID is the inflammation of the female reproductive structures and surrounding organs.  It’s almost exclusively confined to sexually active women. The sexual partner may be infected too.

    It’s very rare in female children except if such child has been sexually abused by an adult or accidental insertion of germs into the reproductive tract.

     

    What Causes PID?

     

    Any germ can cause PID. However, in keeping with the nature of PID,  being seen most commonly in sexually active persons, it makes good sense to link PID with sexually transmissible diseases.  That is to say that gonorrhoea, (gonococcus) and Chlamydia are common agents causing PID. Others are staphylococcus, syphilis, E.coli and indeed any other bacteria. Of more worrying is when tuberculosis is responsible for PID.  Viruses can also cause PID as are parasites and these may not be discovered as the causes. Fungus or yeast may also be responsible but it’s rare.

     

    How Do You Know, You have PID?

     

    Pain is often the main symptom. The pain can be located in the tummy or lower. The pain can be gripping or peppery. Pain killer may relieve the pain to give a false impression of  security.  PID especially one caused by bacteria may be associated with vaginal discharge of different colours. Normally, vaginal discharge could be light cream or plain. But in PID, this simplicity of discharge can be so different, be more in quantity and offensive. Menstrual period can become very painful, crampy and heavy. In acute PID (acute means: the one that happens /causing urgency and right now) could come with fever as it so often does. The woman could become very ill indeed. She could have nausea and vomiting. Sexual intercourse may become painful.

    PID may also develop if there’s been damage to the cervix of the woman following childbirth or during a miscarriage or the woman have had a procedure that involves opening the cervix – such as during an abortion, inspection of the womb by the doctor or nurse, or insertion of an intrauterine contraceptive device (coil or IUCD).

    From the foregoing, PID may mimic such illnesses as ectopic pregnancy, torsion of the ovary, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction. I will deal with some of these in the next sets of articles

     

    What are the likely complications that may develop following PID?

     

    Pain during sex may become a problem for the couple when the female partner has acute or long standing PID. As I have mentioned earlier, menstrual period may become heavy and painful. Also, the abdomen may become swollen as a result of pus collecting in the pelvic areas.

    Depending on the age and desire for a family of the woman, PID is a major cause of childlessness because it may cause blockage of the Fallopian tubes that transport the eggs, sperms and if fertilization occurs, the embryo. Pregnancy in the midst of infection is almost impossible. Therefore, untreated PID may result in miscarriage of a pregnancy. The much feared ectopic pregnancy which we will discuss next week, can and frequently does results from PID.

     

    Prevention

     

    Since PID is mostly found with sexually transmitted diseases, it makes perfect sense that couples should stick to one partner each.  Consider the use of barrier method of family planning such as condoms if this is not possible.  Sadly, infections such as chlamydia are silent and you may not experience any symptom while it becomes established. However, once you experience a sense of being unwell, you should have a medical as soon as possible. It goes without saying that abortion, legal or not, should be done in a healthy and clean environment using well sterilized tools.

     

    Treatment

     

    PID could be very damaging though it rarely kills. Acute PID may be dealt with, with relative ease. The treatment will certainly involve use of carefully selected antibiotics. Such antibiotics will target the suspected bacteria. PID is not what a lay person can deal with at home. Chronic PID is a major concern to gynaecologists as this is not just difficult to treat but a challenge to achieving pregnancy.  If a coil has been put in the womb, this will need to be removed to aid healing. The attending doctor will certainly prescribe pain killers as part of the treatment even though such medication is not necessarily the main form of treatment.