PELVIC inflammatory disease (PID) is essentially an infection of the interior female organs — cervix, womb, tubes and ovaries.

According to obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Ryan Halsall, it is a significant burden in the realms of women’s health, accounting for a large portion of infertility and chronic pelvic pain disorders.

“It happens as a result of a sexually transmitted infection that wasn’t treated or inadequately treated. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia continue to be the leading culprits with the newer mycoplasma genitalium adding to the mix,” he said.

According to Dr Halsall, PID can cause a wide range of symptoms. In the initial stages PID causes:

1. Lower belly pain

2. Fever

3. Abnormal vaginal discharge

4. Bleeding after sex

5. Nausea and vomiting.

Dr Halsall explained that in some cases you can have this infection with less dramatic symptoms, and at times only a vague lower belly pain is present.

“This latter presentation can often be ignored or even misdiagnosed, leading to long-standing infections that can damage your tubes and cause scarring inside the pelvis. This scarring is what’s responsible for the subsequent long-standing pelvic pain,” he said.

He added that it is rather hard to diagnose with certainty, leaving laparoscopy and biopsies of the womb as the only two sure ways.

“This, coupled with the wide range of symptoms along with the potentially devastating long-standing complications, means doctors usually have a low threshold for treating PID. That is to say, if there is the slightest of suspicions for PID, it’s better to just assume and treat rather than to wait for definitive confirmation,” he said.

With regards to treatment, Dr Halsall said antibiotics are usually prescribed, and these should be continued for at least two weeks of therapy to ensure optimum results. He added that surgery sometimes is required in severe cases where there may be abscess formation, and in rare instances ovaries, tubes and even the womb have been removed to control the infection.