10 Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Approximately 1 million women in the US are affected by Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) each year. PID is an infection of the female reproductive organs and commonly affects women between ages 18–44.

Women with untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia, two common sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), have an increased risk of developing PID. Symptoms of PID are often difficult to identify or may go undetected until they show up after a physical exam or lab test. Don’t let pelvic inflammatory disease sneak up on you! Regularly testing for STI’s and PID can reduce your chance of developing pelvic inflammatory disease. These 10 common symptoms can help you spot and treat it in its early stages to avoid complications.

1. Lower Abdominal Pain

This is the most common PID symptom. Bacteria from gonorrhea or chlamydia can move up from the vagina or cervix and infect the reproductive organs, e.g., the uterus and fallopian tubes. Normal bacteria can also make their way to your baby-making organs. Inflammation of these organs can result in sharp pain or a dull, aching discomfort in the lower abdomen. The pain may be stronger during and after sex due to irritation of an inflamed cervical lining. Sometimes the pain is so strong you may be unable to stand.