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Child Pelvic Inflammatry Disease
By peace | June 15, 2006
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a serious infection of the female reproductive organs that may cause severe symptoms, minor symptoms, or no symptoms at all.
PID can result when certain sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) go undetected. In 90% to 95% of cases, PID occurs when bacteria move from the vagina into the uterus and upper genital tract. Although rare, PID also can develop during childbirth, abortion, or insertion of an IUD (intrauterine device), when naturally occurring vaginal bacteria can travel into the reproductive organs.
In the United States, the highest rates of PID occur among adolescent girls. The most common organisms causing PID are gonorrhea and chlamydia. Both are highly contagious STDs. Teens have higher rates of gonorrhea infections than any other age group.
Asymptomatic (which means without symptoms) PID is especially common when the infection is due to chlamydia, which is the most widespread STD in the United States. Untreated PID can damage the fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, and cervix, leading to chronic pelvic pain and serious damage to the reproductive system.
PID is the most common, preventable cause of infertility and results in thousands of ectopic (tubal) pregnancies every year. An ectopic pregnancy can cause massive life-threatening bleeding in the mother and requires emergency surgery. Each occurrence of PID doubles the risk of infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
Prevention Of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Because STDs can lead to PID, the best way to prevent PID is to abstain from having sex or to have sex with one person in a mutually monogamous relationship. Sexual activity with more than one partner or with someone who has more than one sex partner also increases the risk of contracting an STD.
If a female adolescent has had an STD or a prior case of PID, she is at greater risk of being diagnosed with PID. Because gonorrhea and chlamydia often do not present with obvious symptoms, adolescents may not know they’re infected. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of STDs among both young men and women can reduce the occurrence of PID in sexually active females. All sexually active teens should be screened regularly for STDs.
Your child’s doctor can help you determine an appropriate schedule.
When properly and consistently used, barrier methods of contraception (condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge) decrease the risk of STDs, especially when used with a spermicide containing nonoxynol-9, which can kill some bacteria and viruses. Latex condoms provide greater protection than natural-membrane condoms. The female condom, made of plastic, is also considered effective against STDs. Although birth control pills offer no protection against STDs, they may give some protection against PID by causing the body to create thicker cervical mucus, making it more difficult for bacteria to reach the upper genital tract.
Regular douching may increase a woman’s risk of contracting STDs because it may flush bacteria higher into the genital tract and may mask symptoms that might otherwise signal a problem.
When to Call Your Child’s Doctor
If your child complains of any symptoms associated with PID, she should see her doctor as soon as possible. You should be especially alert to these symptoms if she has had PID before because they may signal a repeat infection.
Professional Treatment
Before accompanying your daughter to her appointment with the doctor, you can help ease her by explaining what she can expect during the examination. The doctor will ask questions about her medical history, method of birth control, and her sexual habits and those of her partner. The doctor may then perform a pelvic exam to find out if her reproductive organs are tender or swollen and to identify the specific location of the infection.
Diagnosing PID is not always a simple procedure because the site of the infection cannot be examined easily and PID symptoms often imitate other conditions such as appendicitis. During the pelvic exam, the doctor may take samples to look for the germs that cause gonorrhea and chlamydia infections. Blood tests also may be done. Other procedures may be required to determine whether the fallopian tubes are swollen or if an abscess (collection of pus) is present.
Hospitalization may be necessary if there is a high fever or severe nausea and vomiting, if intravenous antibiotics are required for treatment, or if the diagnosis is uncertain and appendicitis cannot be ruled out.
The primary treatment for PID is antibiotics, which kill the bacteria that cause the disease. Your child’s doctor also may prescribe pain medication. Outpatient treatment usually includes a follow-up visit to the doctor within 2 to 3 days.
Home Treatment
Although PID is a serious health threat, prompt treatment and follow-up care can cure the infection and prevent complications. Your daughter should follow her doctor’s advice closely and return for all scheduled appointments. Bed rest and reduced activity can help your daughter’s recovery. Hot baths and heating pads applied to the lower back and abdomen can help relieve discomfort. Your daughter should finish all medicines as prescribed because the PID infection may continue even though the symptoms disappear. To prevent re-infection, her partner also should be examined and treated. It’s important to abstain from sex until treatment is completed and the doctor determines that the infection is gone.
If Your Child Has PID
STDs are upsetting for anyone, but they are especially disturbing when they occur in a child. Talk to your child in a supportive way about her sexual activity. Your child may be a victim of sexual abuse and could be embarrassed or ashamed to talk about it. If you suspect abuse may be the cause of the PID infection, you should discuss this with your child’s doctor. If your child is sexually active at a young age, talk honestly and directly about why this behavior is inappropriate.
Although it may be difficult, do not condemn your child for the behavior. This may cause your child to rebel or become withdrawn. You can find help in a variety of places. The first step is your child’s doctor. He or she will treat the physical symptoms and can refer you to other professionals who can help with any emotional or psychological issues you or your child may be experiencing. Community health organizations and sexual counseling centers found in your local yellow pages can also be good places to look for help.
