What women should know about Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a hidden yet lethal threat that can endanger a woman’s reproductive health. Clinicians define PID as an upper reproductive system infection that impacts the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. The condition is very treatable when doctors detect it during its initial phase; if the diagnosis gets delayed, however, patients may experience chronic pelvic pain, life-threatening ectopic pregnancies and permanent infertility. Prevention, therefore, is the best option: through better sexual safety and proper reproductive health education.

How PID affects the body

The biological progression of PID begins when bacteria migrate from the vagina and cervix upward into the sterile environment of the pelvic cavity. The human body responds to bacterial infections through an immune reaction. Common sexually transmitted infections include chlamydia and gonorrhoea. The pathogens use the cervical barrier as their entry point into the body, which results in an extreme inflammatory response. The inflammatory responses result in scar tissue formation that adhere to the insides of the fallopian tubes. These delicate structures function as a vital pathway allowing an egg to reach the uterus. When scarring creates an obstruction, the result is complete infertility through natural conception.

Risk factors

Every instance of sexual activity with a partner whose STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) status is unknown represents a significant health risk, largely due to the asymptomatic trap. Many STIs produce no visible symptoms, which allows a partner to seem perfectly healthy while carrying bacteria that will later cause PID in a female recipient. People who have multiple sexual partners face increased chances of coming into contact with pathogens, which makes it necessary to use condoms properly as the best protection against bacterial infections.

Ironically, it is often over-cleaning rather than a lack of hygiene that causes the most damage. Many women use douches or scented feminine washes under the impression that they are maintaining their vaginal health. This is unnecessary and may even prove harmful. The vagina operates as a complex system that cleans itself through the action of Lactobacillus – protective bacteria. The act of douching removes beneficial microorganisms from the body and creates a major disruption to the natural pH equilibrium of the environment. Bacterial Vaginosis develops when douching breaks the natural balance of bacteria in the body, which allows dangerous bacteria to multiply. Douching also creates a physical force which moves bacteria from the vaginal area to the uterus thus starting the very infection that the user wanted to stop.

What women should know

Women must observe their bodies for any signs of dull abdominal discomfort, which includes lower abdominal pain. They must also observe for any unusual vaginal discharge, smelly discharge, any pain during sexual activity, and vaginal bleeding that occurs between their regular menstrual cycles. The presence of chills and fever along with these symptoms indicates that the infection has reached a critical and life-threatening stage.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is that it is largely preventable through proactive healthcare. The recommended approach for sexually active women includes annual STI screenings together with mandatory condom use and an approach to hygiene that requires minimal product usage. Women can reduce their risk of infection by eliminating internal cleansers from their routines while they maintain their body’s natural microbiome.

(Dr Prathima A. is consultant – obstetrics, gynaecology, and urogynaecology, Motherhood Hospitals, Banashankari, Bengaluru. drprathima.halli@outlook.com)