Salpingitis
Key points
- Pelvic inflammatory disease is a general term for infection of the lining of the uterus, the fallopian tubes, or the ovaries (see also Endometritis).
- The same organisms responsible for bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma, staph, strep) cause 90% to 95% of all cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
- 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 so-called "silent" PID, which is usually caused by chlamydia infection.
- A general examination may reveal fever and abdominal tenderness.
Alternative names
PID; Oophoritis; Pelvic inflammatory disease; Salpingo-oophoritis; Salpingo-peritonitis
Definition
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a general term for infection of the lining of the uterus, the fallopian tubes, or the ovaries (see also Endometritis).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The same organisms responsible for bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma, staph, strep) cause 90% to 95% of all cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Although sexual transmission is the most common cause of PID, bacteria may enter the body after gynecological events or procedures such as IUD insertion (intrauterine device used for contraception), childbirth, spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), therapeutic or elective abortion, and Endometrial biopsy.
In the United States, nearly 1 million women develop PID each year. It is estimated that 1 in 8 sexually active adolescent girls will develop PID before reaching age 20. Since PID is frequently underdiagnosed, statistics are probably greatly underestimated.
Risk factors include sexual activity during adolescence, multiple sexual partners, a past history of PID, a past history of any STD (sexually transmitted disease), and the use of non-barrier type contraceptives. Use of an IUD (intrauterine device) may increase the risk of developing PID at the time of IUD insertion.
Oral contraceptives ("the pill") are thought in some cases to enhance cervical ectropion, a condition that allows easier access to tissue where bacteria may thrive. However, oral contraceptives may in other cases have a protective role against developing PID because they stimulate the body to produce a thicker cervical mucous, which is harder for semen (which may contain bacteria) to penetrate. This makes it harder for semen to transmit bacteria to the uterus.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of PID include:
- vaginal discharge with abnormal color, consistency or odor
- Abdominal pain either localized or generalized
- fever (not always present)
o may range from transient to constant
o low grade to high
Other nonspecific symptoms that may be seen with PID include:
- chills
- irregular menstrual bleeding or spotting
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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