Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection that occurs in a woman’s reproductive organs. The disease is usually a complication that is caused by untreated sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. It can also be caused by infections that are not sexually transmitted. It’s important for women to know about pelvic inflammatory disease because it can be prevented.

It is estimated that there are more than one million women in the United States who develop pelvic inflammatory disease each year. As a result, the disease causes more than 100,000 women to suffer from infertility each year. Many of the ectopic pregnancy cases that occur each year (about 100,000) are linked to pelvic inflammatory disease. Teenager girls have the highest rate of infection.

Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease usually include lower abdominal pain, a fever, unusual discharge with an unpleasant vaginal odor, pain or bleeding during sexual intercourse, burning with urination, and bleeding or spotting in between menstrual periods.

If women experience any of these symptoms, they should see their doctor for an examination. Make sure to tell your doctor if you have had multiple sex partners or have a sex partner who may have had multiple sex partners and could potentially have a sexually transmitted disease. You should also make them aware of any symptoms such as fowl smelling discharge, a new sore, bleeding in between menstrual cycles, or burning with urination. Women should also get tested for chlamydia once a year if they are sexually active and 25 years old or younger.

Women are at a higher risk of pelvic inflammatory disease if they have an untreated sexually transmitted disease, have more than one sex partner, has a sex partner who has multiple sex partners, has a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, is sexually active and younger than 25 years old, douches, or uses an intrauterine device as a form of birth control.

Women can reduce their risk for pelvic inflammatory disease by avoiding sexually transmitted diseases. And the only way to do this is by avoiding in sexual activity. Since most people are sexually active, the best way to reduce your risk for getting a sexually transmitted disease is to have no more than one sex partner at a time, make sure that you and your partner(s) have been tested for sexually transmitted diseases, and use condoms every time you engage in sexual activity.