What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (EIPA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the upper genital tract infection that occurs almost always by ascending from the cervix. The impact of pelvic infection has on the physical condition of women ranges from asymptomatic or silent infection with greater morbidity in some cases can lead to death.

It includes a variety of inflammatory conditions affecting the upper genital tract. The Centers for Disease Control (CDE) define it as an acute syndrome due to the rise of microorganisms in the vagina or cervix to the endometrium, fallopian tubes and sometimes the surrounding structures (ovaries, peritoneum and pelvic cavity).

Most cases of acute pelvic inflammatory disease are related to sexually transmitted diseases. The eight to twenty percent of women with untreated gonococcal cervicitis and 8 to 10 women with untreated chlamydial cervicitis are complicated by this disease.

Other factors that have been associated with increased acute pelvic inflammatory disease include the use of intrauterine and postnatal infections and post-abortion, is also associated with some surgical procedures, such as dilation and curettage of the uterus, hysterosalpingography and history of previous EIPL . The EIPA has affected at least once ten percent of women of reproductive age.

This condition is more frequent between the second and third decades of life with a high incidence (twenty five percent to fifty percent) in nulliparous and often leaves sequelae such as infertility, chronic pelvic algia, increases the incidence of ectopic pregnancy, raising morbidity and mortality in women of childbearing age.