Pelvic inflammatory disease, also known as PPE, is inflammation that begins in the vagina and progresses by affecting the uterus, as well as the tubes and ovaries, spreading over a large pelvic area and is most often the result of an infection that has not been adequately treated.
The DIP can be classified according to its severity as follows:
- This disease mainly affects adolescents and sexually active young people.
- With multiple sexual partners.
- Who do not use a condom and who retain a habit of washing their vagina internally.
Although normally related to sexually transmitted infections, PPE may also be related to other situations such as IUD or endometriosis, which is a situation in which endometrial tissue develops outside the uterus. Learn more about endometriosis.
Pelvic inflammatory disease can be very subtle and women are not always able to perceive their signs and symptoms, favoring the proliferation of microorganisms and causing greater inflammation of the genital area. In some situations, certain signs and symptoms may be identified, such as:
The women most likely to develop this type of inflammation are those between 15 and 25 years old, do not use condoms at all times, have multiple sexual partners and those who are used to using vaginal showers, which alter the vaginal flora that facilitates the development of diseases.
Inflammatory pelvic disease is often linked to the proliferation of microorganisms and the lack of adequate treatment. Sexually transmitted microorganisms are the main cause of PPE, which in these cases may be the result of gonorrhea or chlamydia, for example.
In addition, POI may develop as a result of an infection during childbirth, the introduction of contaminated objects into the vagina during masturbation, the installation of an IUD in less than 3 weeks, endometriosis or after an endometrial biopsy or uterine cure.
Diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease isn’t always easy, but it can be done using blood tests and imaging tests such as pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound.
Treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease may be done with oral or intramuscular antibiotics for approximately 14 days. In addition, rest is important, the lack of intimate contact during treatment, not even with a condom to give time for tissues to heal, and the removal of the IUD, if applicable.
An example of an antibiotic for pelvic inflammatory disease is azithromycin, but other ones may also be indicated, such as levofloxacin, ceftriaxone, clindamycin, or ceftriaxone. During treatment, it is recommended that the sexual partner be treated even if it does not have symptoms to prevent recontamination and surgery may be needed to treat inflammation of the fallopian tubes or to drain abscesses. Understand how THE DIP treatment is performed.