CDC's Protocol for PID

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), is an infection of the upper part of the female reproductive tract. PID is caused by bacteria that enters your body through the vagina. There are different ways for bacteria to enter your vagina. The bacteria that comes from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is the most common cause of PID. The symptoms of PID are sometimes so mild that the disease can go undetected. If left untreated, pelvic inflammatory disease can have serious and harmful effects to your reproductive organs. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), has created protocols for the detection, treatment and prevention of PID. It is important that you and your doctor know what the CDC recommends about this curable disease.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of PID can range from mild to severe. Even when the infection is causing damage to your reproductive organs, you may have no symptoms at all. The most common symptoms are fever, foul vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse, pain while urinating, irregular or missed menstrual periods and pain in the lower part of your stomach or back.

Diagnosis

• Your doctor will complete a thorough exam before diagnosing PID.

  Because PID can be difficult to diagnose, the Center for Disease Control has created diagnostic protocols. Your doctor may use these protocols to help him determine if you have pelvic inflammatory disease. Your doctor will complete a pelvic examination to check for pain, swelling or unusual discharge. Samples of vaginal discharge may be obtained. The samples will be sent to a laboratory and examined for bacteria. Your doctor should test you for STDs, including chlamydia and gonorrhea. He may also ask you personal questions about your sexual behaviors and sex partners. If your doctor is unsure if you have PID or not, the CDC recommends that more testing should be done.

Further Tests

• Your doctor may get an ultrasound of your pelvis. This test uses sound waves on the outside of your stomach so your doctor can see if anything looks unusual about your reproductive organs. You may also need a CT scan or MRI, which are specialized x-rays of your stomach and pelvis. There is a more invasive test called a biopsy. This is when your doctor collects a sample of tissue from one of your internal organs. The biopsy is then sent to the laboratory for testing. The most invasive test is called a laparoscopy. For this procedure, a surgeon makes one or more small incisions in your stomach. A small medical camera is then placed into the incisions for the doctor to view your internal organs.

Treatment

• The CDC protocol recommends a variety of antibiotic medications for the treatment of PID. An antibiotic is a medicine that works by killing bacteria in your body. Your doctor will decide which medications from the CDC list will work best for you. Antibiotics are given in pill form. The CDC recommends taking two different types of antibiotic pills at the same time. For more severe cases of PID, your doctor may admit you to a hospital. In the hospital, you will receive your antibiotic medicine through a small tube in your vein. If your doctor is unsure if you have PID or not, the Center for Disease Control recommends that you begin taking antibiotic medications while waiting for further testing to be done.

Follow-Up

• Follow up care is essential to curing pelvic inflammatory disease. The CDC recommends seeing your doctor three days after starting your antibiotic medicine. If you still have symptoms of PID, you may need to be admitted to the hospital. Your doctor may do further tests or start you on a different medicine. Your doctor will also discuss the prevention of PID so you can avoid getting it again. For prevention, the CDC recommends the use of latex condoms during sexual intercourse, yearly testing for sexually transmitted diseases and medical treatment for your sex partners. (See References 1 and 3)