What is pelvic inflammatory disease and what causes it?
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the uterus (womb) and Fallopian tubes (and sometimes the ovaries too). The bacteria (germs) that cause the infection usually travel into the uterus from the vagina or cervix (neck of the uterus). A common cause of PID is from a sexually transmitted infection (the bacteria are passed on when you have sex). A bacterium called chlamydia is the most common cause. Gonorrhoea is another quite common cause of PID. A mixture of chlamydia plus gonorrhoea sometimes occurs. Sometimes the bacteria can be in the cervix for quite some time without causing symptoms before travelling into the uterus. This is why some women develop PID weeks or months after having sex with an infected person. Some cases of PID are not due to a sexually transmitted infection. The vagina normally contains various bacteria. These are usually harmless and are not passed on by sexual contact. However, these bacteria sometimes cause PID. This is more of a risk after having
