Every year, one million U.S. women will become infected with pelvic inflammatory disease, also known as PID, an infection or inflammation of various reproductive organs. Yikes! This common disease can cause many other problems, including infertility and other conditions that may lead to death. Sorry for the quick scare, but it’s true, and you should know. Thankfully, the proper prevention and care can help prevent those complications.
- It’s normal for certain amounts and types of bacteria to reside in the vaginal area. However, sex and douching can cause them to get pushed further inside the body where they don’t belong. This can cause PID. Having sex with multiple partners, a partner who has multiple partners, or a partner who has an STD can greatly increase the risk. Bacterial STDs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, are common factors in PID cases.
- Unfortunately, more than half of all PID cases go undetected until the damage has been done. Many times there are few to no symptoms, especially in PID that occurs from chlamydia. Ladies, if you’re experiencing fever, pain during intercourse or urination, abdominal pain, or irregular bleeding during your menstrual cycle, it’s time to get tested ASAP. A rare pain also can occur in the upper abdominal region.
