Causes and Prevention of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in Women

When inflammation occurs in the female internal reproductive organs, surrounding connective tissues, and pelvic peritoneum, it is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a common gynecological condition. It can be classified into acute and chronic types. In cases of acute PID, if the patient's overall condition is poor and there are large numbers of toxic bacteria entering the body, the condition can become critically severe very quickly. Symptoms include obvious poisoning reactions, chills, high fever, rapid pulse, headache, poor appetite, persistent lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, or diarrhea. Chronic PID presents with less pronounced symptoms and signs compared to the acute form.

Women are more prone to PID mainly due to the following reasons: 1. Anatomical characteristics. The uterus connects to the outside world through the vagina, making it susceptible to invasive infections. Once infected, pathogens can travel along the fallopian tube mucosa to the ovaries and reach the pelvis. The rich network of pelvic veins and lymphatic system makes it easy for infections to spread. 2. Childbirth and abortion weaken a woman’s constitution. If complications such as surgical operation or retained placenta occur, it becomes easier for pathogens to invade the uterine cavity and cause infection. The use of intrauterine devices and various uterine surgeries also increase the risk of infection. 3. During menstruation, the shedding of the endometrium provides a good environment for bacterial growth. Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to inflammation.

Prevention of PID should focus on targeting pathogens and various infection risk factors by taking the following three measures: 1. Maintaining good hygiene during the five critical periods (menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and menopause). During menstruation, personal hygiene should be observed, and sexual intercourse should be avoided; during pregnancy, nutrition should be enhanced to prevent anemia, and any sources of infection should be treated promptly; during childbirth, scientific delivery methods should be used to minimize difficult labor and postpartum bleeding; during the postpartum period, genital cleanliness should be maintained to avoid retention of lochia; during menopause, appropriate estrogen supplements may be taken to strengthen the natural defenses of the reproductive tract. 2. Pay attention to sexual hygiene. Wash the external genitalia after each sexual intercourse; abstain from sex during menstruation and late pregnancy; treat sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive inflammation promptly to prevent bacterial invasion. 3. After childbirth or gynecological surgery, where there is a risk of infection, prophylactic antibiotics or other antimicrobial drugs should be used to prevent infection.