Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is difficult to diagnose because it doesn’t always produce symptoms until you’ve had it for a while. PID is caused by an infection in your reproductive organs and can be very serious if left untreated.
Women are at higher risk of getting PID if they have multiple sex partners or leave an STI (sexually transmitted infection) untreated. While PID usually stems from an STI, there can be other causes. Anything that pushes bad bacteria up into the reproductive tract can cause PID. Some examples include inserting an IUD and douching.
When symptoms do develop, you need to seek medical care right away to avoid long term damage and problems with infertility. According to the CDC, here are some common symptoms of PID:
- Fever
- Pain in abdomen
- Painful sex or bleeding during sex
- Foul smelling or unusual discharge
- Bleeding between cycles
- Burning during urination
Read more about causes and treatments of PID.