MedlinePlus: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

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Illustration of the female reproductive system

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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Also called: PID

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection and inflammation of the female reproductive organs. It can scar the tubes that carry eggs from the ovary to the uterus which can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic pain and other problems. PID is the most common preventable cause of infertility in the United States. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the most common causes, but other bacteria can also cause PID.

You are at risk if you

Are sexually active and younger than 25
Have more than one sex partner
Douche

Some women have no symptoms. Others have pain in the lower abdomen, fever, smelly vaginal discharge, irregular bleeding or pain during intercourse. Antibiotics can cure PID. Early treatment is important – waiting too long increases the risk of infertility.

National Women's Health Information Center

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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(National Women's Health Information Center)
Also available in Spanish
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Diagnosis/Symptoms	No links available	No links available
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Clinical Trials Journal Articles	Dictionaries/Glossaries Organizations	Children Teenagers

Overviews
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  Also available in Spanish
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  Also available in Spanish
Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Chronic Pelvic Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Sexual Health Glossary(American Social Health Association)
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Organizations
- American Social Health Association
- National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of STD Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Children
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(Nemours Foundation)
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Teenagers
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)(Nemours Foundation)
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