Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or uterus. It is usually caused by an STD (sexually transmitted disease). Treatment with antibiotics can help prevent long-lasting problems.
The most common symptom of PID is lower belly pain. The pain may get worse during sex.
Other symptoms may include:
Sometimes girls with PID have no symptoms.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is usually caused by a sexually transmitted disease (STD). STDs (also called sexually transmitted infections, or STIs) are infections that spread through sex (vaginal, oral, or anal). Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the STDs that most often lead to PID.
Sexually active girls can get PID. It happens more often in girls who have more than one sexual partner.
You can get pelvic inflammatory disease more than once if partners with STDs don't get treatment, or if you have sex with someone else who has an STD.
To find out if someone has PID, health care providers:
Sometimes more testing is needed. For example, an ultrasound or CT scan may be done to look at the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
Health care providers treat PID with antibiotics . All sexual partners from the past 2 months also need treatment. Sometimes the health care provider can prescribe antibiotics for someone’s partner(s) too.
Girls who are getting treated for PID should not have sex until:
If pelvic inflammatory disease isn't treated or went on a long time before being treated, girls can have problems such as:
The best way to prevent PID and STDs is to not have sex (oral, vaginal, or anal). If you decide to have sex, use a latex condom every time.
If you are sexually active, it's important to get tested for STDs every year, or more often if recommended by your health care provider.
Reviewed by: Amy W. Anzilotti, MD
Date Reviewed: Sep 10, 2021
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