PID ? Complications and long-term problems
Many women recover from PID without any lasting problems, but if the infection is not treated early or entirely, PID can lead to serious complications. Just one episode of PID increases a woman?s risk of chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and getting PID again.
Recurrent PID ? Some women develop PID time after time. This can happen if an infection hasn?t been completely cured or if you?ve been reinfected. Unfortunately, the more often you have PID, the more likely you are to get it again. By keeping track of what is going on in your life when infections occur, however, you may be able to identify what triggers the attacks. Some women, for example, tend to get PID when they are very stressed or tired, after a vaginal infection (such as thrush) or following sex. Once you?ve pinpointed possible triggers, you may be able to take steps to avoid further episodes.
What is PID?
Diagnosing PID
Treating PID
Complications and long-term problems
Resources and links
Previous | Next
Abscess ? Sometimes PID infections develop into an abscess (a pocket of infected fluid). An abscess can be particularly dangerous because it may not go away with antibiotic treatment, and if it bursts (ruptures), it can be life threatening. If you have an abscess that does not go away with antibiotics, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Ectopic pregnancy ? When PID develops in a woman?s fallopian tubes, it can turn the smooth lining of the tubes into scar tissue. This scarring can block the tubes, making it difficult for an egg to pass through them. If a fertilised egg gets stuck in one of the fallopian tubes, it may continue to grow as if it were in the womb. This is an ectopic pregnancy and is a potentially life-threatening situation. In some cases, the embryo may miscarry naturally, but if it continues to grow, the fallopian tube will burst, causing internal bleeding. The only way to stop this from happening is to terminate the pregnancy.
It is estimated that one in ten pregnancies that occur after an episode of PID will be ectopic. If you have had PID and become pregnant, tell your doctor right away, so she or he knows you are at risk.
Infertility ? Scarring from PID may be so severe that it blocks the fallopian tubes entirely, making it virtually impossible for an egg to get through. It is estimated that one in five women who develop PID will be infertile as a result. When a woman has more than one episode of PID, her chances of becoming infertile are even higher. Some women, however, have become pregnant after being told their tubes were blocked, so if you don?t want to get pregnant, you should continue to use birth control.
If you do want to have children, you may need to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer. Sometimes blocked or damaged tubes can be repaired with surgery, but the results are mixed and it may actually cause further scarring.
Chronic pain ? Scarring can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick together, pulling and straining them, and this can be very painful. One in five women who have had PID develop chronic pelvic pain. The pain may be caused by scar tissue (adhesions) that developed before the PID was treated, or it may be that an infection or inflammation has not been cured completely. Some adhesions can be separated surgically and this may help to ease pelvic pain.
Surgery
Surgery is generally not necessary to get rid of PID, but if you have chronic PID or pelvic pain your doctor may recommend removing the damaged or infected organs. The procedures listed below are major operations and you may want to get a second opinion before going ahead with surgery. Ask your doctor for a full explanation of any suggested procedure, including risks, benefits and success rates.
Salpingectomy
This is the removal of one or both of the fallopian tubes. It will only stop PID if the infection is confined to the tube(s), and you may still develop PID in other organs. Salpingectomy is major abdominal surgery and may cause additional pelvic adhesions. If both tubes are removed, you will no longer be able to get pregnant naturally.
Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy removes the uterus (womb) and usually the cervix. A hysterectomy may reduce pelvic pain, and is likely to get rid of PID, but there is no guarantee. If the infection or scarring is outside of the womb, for example, a hysterectomy will be of no use.
If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy, find out exactly which organs she or he intends to remove. Sometimes the fallopian tubes and ovaries are taken out during a hysterectomy and for many women this is a terrible surprise. A hysterectomy is major surgery and it will take a few months to recover fully. You will not be able to have children after a hysterectomy. See the Women?s Health online leaflet Hysterectomy for more information about this operation.
Oophorectomy
This is the removal of one or both ovaries, and is sometimes done at the same time as a hysterectomy. If both ovaries are removed, you will have a sudden, immediate menopause.
Many women recover from PID without any lasting problems, but if the infection is not treated early or entirely, PID can lead to serious complications. Just one episode of PID increases a woman?s risk of chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and getting PID again.
Recurrent PID ? Some women develop PID time after time. This can happen if an infection hasn?t been completely cured or if you?ve been reinfected. Unfortunately, the more often you have PID, the more likely you are to get it again. By keeping track of what is going on in your life when infections occur, however, you may be able to identify what triggers the attacks. Some women, for example, tend to get PID when they are very stressed or tired, after a vaginal infection (such as thrush) or following sex. Once you?ve pinpointed possible triggers, you may be able to take steps to avoid further episodes.
What is PID?
Diagnosing PID
Treating PID
Complications and long-term problems
Resources and links
Previous | Next
Abscess ? Sometimes PID infections develop into an abscess (a pocket of infected fluid). An abscess can be particularly dangerous because it may not go away with antibiotic treatment, and if it bursts (ruptures), it can be life threatening. If you have an abscess that does not go away with antibiotics, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Ectopic pregnancy ? When PID develops in a woman?s fallopian tubes, it can turn the smooth lining of the tubes into scar tissue. This scarring can block the tubes, making it difficult for an egg to pass through them. If a fertilised egg gets stuck in one of the fallopian tubes, it may continue to grow as if it were in the womb. This is an ectopic pregnancy and is a potentially life-threatening situation. In some cases, the embryo may miscarry naturally, but if it continues to grow, the fallopian tube will burst, causing internal bleeding. The only way to stop this from happening is to terminate the pregnancy.
It is estimated that one in ten pregnancies that occur after an episode of PID will be ectopic. If you have had PID and become pregnant, tell your doctor right away, so she or he knows you are at risk.
Infertility ? Scarring from PID may be so severe that it blocks the fallopian tubes entirely, making it virtually impossible for an egg to get through. It is estimated that one in five women who develop PID will be infertile as a result. When a woman has more than one episode of PID, her chances of becoming infertile are even higher. Some women, however, have become pregnant after being told their tubes were blocked, so if you don?t want to get pregnant, you should continue to use birth control.
If you do want to have children, you may need to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer. Sometimes blocked or damaged tubes can be repaired with surgery, but the results are mixed and it may actually cause further scarring.
Chronic pain ? Scarring can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick together, pulling and straining them, and this can be very painful. One in five women who have had PID develop chronic pelvic pain. The pain may be caused by scar tissue (adhesions) that developed before the PID was treated, or it may be that an infection or inflammation has not been cured completely. Some adhesions can be separated surgically and this may help to ease pelvic pain.
Surgery
Surgery is generally not necessary to get rid of PID, but if you have chronic PID or pelvic pain your doctor may recommend removing the damaged or infected organs. The procedures listed below are major operations and you may want to get a second opinion before going ahead with surgery. Ask your doctor for a full explanation of any suggested procedure, including risks, benefits and success rates.
Salpingectomy
This is the removal of one or both of the fallopian tubes. It will only stop PID if the infection is confined to the tube(s), and you may still develop PID in other organs. Salpingectomy is major abdominal surgery and may cause additional pelvic adhesions. If both tubes are removed, you will no longer be able to get pregnant naturally.
Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy removes the uterus (womb) and usually the cervix. A hysterectomy may reduce pelvic pain, and is likely to get rid of PID, but there is no guarantee. If the infection or scarring is outside of the womb, for example, a hysterectomy will be of no use.
If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy, find out exactly which organs she or he intends to remove. Sometimes the fallopian tubes and ovaries are taken out during a hysterectomy and for many women this is a terrible surprise. A hysterectomy is major surgery and it will take a few months to recover fully. You will not be able to have children after a hysterectomy. See the Women?s Health online leaflet Hysterectomy for more information about this operation.
Oophorectomy
This is the removal of one or both ovaries, and is sometimes done at the same time as a hysterectomy. If both ovaries are removed, you will have a sudden, immediate menopause.
very informative and nice blog
ReplyDeletehere is a blog about women health
issues related to vagina pregnancy
and tubal reversal
http://www.mybabydoc.com/blog/
tubal reversal