ABSTRACT
Organisms, such as the gonococcus or chlamydia, spread from the vagina through the cervical and uterine cavities to cause infection of the walls of the uterine tubes, usually on both sides. Infection of the tubes results in inflammatory swelling, pus formation and, unless effective antibiotic treatment is instituted promptly, long-term damage. Permanent damage to the tubal wall decreases fertility, increases the risk of an ectopic pregnancy and may cause complete tubal obstruction. The likelihood of permanent damage increases with the number of episodes of infection and the length of time from onset to effective treatment. The risk of permanent tubal damage after a single episode has been estimated to be about 10% but after three episodes this rises to 60%. It is important that sexual contacts of a woman with proven PID are traced and treated effectively.
