INFORMATION FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE DURING PREGNANCY OR BREASTFEEDING

What is pelvic inflammatory disease during pregnancy?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is inflammation of the female reproductive organs and the surrounding area, so it features inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis), the fallopian tubes (salpingitis), the lining of the uterus (endometritis), and the membrane that lines the pelvic and abdominal cavities (peritonitis). Typically, the inflammation is due to a bacterial infection, usually with the species Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which are sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but you also can develop PID from non-sexual infections of bacteria coming either from outside or from your body. Such non-sexual infections can result from foreign objects in your reproductive tract, such as a douche or tampon (especially if left in too long) or occasionally from an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted for birth control. It is unusual for women to develop PID during pregnancy, but when it does happen during pregnancy, usually, it is during the first trimester. More commonly, PID is an issue affecting how easily you can become pregnant in the first place and your chances of developing an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside of the uterine cavity), especially an ectopic pregnancy located in the fallopian tube.