Do you experience severe pain during sex, painful urination, pain in your upper and lower abdomen, foul smelling vaginal discharge ? These are all symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
PID is an infection of the organs of a women’s reproductive system which includes the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix. It’s usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), like chlamydia or gonorrhea.
However, it’s symptoms aren’t limited to those stated above, irregular bleeding, high fevers , vomiting, fainting, sharp abdominal pain could also be related to PID .
Risk factors of PID include;
- Practicing unprotected sex
- Having multiple sexual partners
- Being sexually active below the age of 25
- Sexual engagements with someone who has multiple sexual partners
- Douching, this is washing or cleaning your vagina with a mixture of fluids
In order to reduce the risk of PID, one is advised to;
- Practice safe sex
- Get tested
- Ask your partner to get tested also
- Talk to your doctor about contraception
- Avoid douching
PID can cause serious problems if not treated, problems such as ectopic pregnancy , infertility, chronic pelvic pain and tubo-ovarian abscess. If you notice any of the symptoms above, please make sure to visit your doctor ⚕.