Pelvic inflammatory disease
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Chlamydia trachomatis p. , 146
pelvic inflammatory disease p. 147
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) p. 182
Actinomyces p. , 137
chlamydia p. 146, 180
Chlamydia trachomatis p. , 147
copper IUD p. 675
ectopic pregnancy p. 659
gonococci p. 140
gonorrhea p. 180
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Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is an infection of the upper female reproductive system, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
It can cause a number of serious complications, including infertility.
The female reproductive system includes all of internal and external organs that help with reproduction.
The internal sex organs are the ovaries, which are the female gonads, the fallopian tubes, two muscular tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus, and the uterus, which is the strong muscular sack that a fetus can develop in.
The neck of the uterus is called the cervix, and it protrudes into the vagina.
At the opening of the vagina are the external sex organs, and these are usually just called the genitals and they’re in the vulva region.
They include the labia, the clitoris, and the mons pubis.
The vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes all have a mucosa, which is a layer of epithelial cells that lines the inside of these organs.
PID usually develops from a bacterial infection in the vagina or cervix which causes inflammation of this mucosal layer.
About 60 percent of the time, this changes the composition of the bacterial flora in the vagina, also called bacterial vaginosis.
Because the reproductive tract is essentially one long tunnel that starts at the ovaries and ends at the external sex organs, the infection can travel up the tract pretty easily.
Some mechanisms can make it even easier! For example, the cervical mucus, which normally acts as a barrier preventing bacteria from entering the uterus, may become less effective.
The mucus can become thinner as a result of normal variations throughout the menstrual cycle, or alternatively, it can become less effective in the context of bacterial vaginosis, which is when the normal balance of the vaginal flora is altered, and anaerobic bacteria proliferate and degrade the cervical mucus.
Summary
Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is an infection of the upper female reproductive system that can affect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It is commonly caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, but can also be caused by other types of bacteria.
Symptoms of PID include lower abdominal pain, pelvic pain, fever, abnormal vaginal discharge, and dyspareunia (pain during intercourse). However, some women may have no symptoms at all. If left untreated, PID can cause serious complications such as infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and ectopic pregnancy. Treatment involves a combination of antibiotics to clear the infection and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and inflammation.
Sources
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2019)
- "Pelvic Inflammatory Disease" Infectious Disease Clinics of North America (2013)
- "Pelvic Inflammatory Disease" New England Journal of Medicine (2015)
- "Microbiota and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease" Seminars in Reproductive Medicine (2014)
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