Problemas de salud
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Revisado: 4 de octubre de 2026
Solo en inglés por ahoraPID is an infection of the womb, fallopian tubes or ovaries, usually caused by an STI. It can be mild or cause no symptoms, but quick treatment helps protect your fertility.
What PID is
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the womb (uterus), the fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the womb) or the ovaries. It is usually caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea. It can also be caused by bacteria that normally live in the vagina. You are more likely to get PID if you have an untreated STI, have had PID before, have more than one sexual partner, or are 25 or younger. It can also follow giving birth, a miscarriage, or a procedure that opens the neck of the womb (cervix), such as having an IUD (coil) fitted.
Symptoms can be mild or missing
PID can be mild, and some people have no symptoms at all, so you may not know you have it. When there are symptoms, they can include pain in your lower tummy or pelvis, pain deep inside during sex, and bleeding between periods or after sex. Periods may be heavier or more painful than usual for you. You may notice vaginal discharge that looks or smells different. Some people get a fever or a burning feeling when they pee.
Why quick treatment matters
PID can leave scar tissue inside and around the fallopian tubes, which can block them. This can make it harder to get pregnant. It also raises the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, where a pregnancy grows outside the womb. PID can also cause long-term pelvic pain. Antibiotics can clear the infection. Treating it early lowers the chance of lasting damage, but treatment cannot repair damage that has already happened. That is why it is worth getting checked quickly, even if your symptoms are mild.
Tests and treatment
A doctor, nurse or sexual health clinic will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They will usually take swabs from your vagina and cervix, and may do a pregnancy test, blood test or scan. The main treatment is antibiotics, usually an injection and then tablets for 2 weeks. Finish the whole course. Recent sexual partners need to be tested and treated too. Avoid sex until you and your partners have finished all the antibiotics, your symptoms have gone, and tests show the infection has cleared.
When to get help
Get an urgent appointment with a doctor, nurse or sexual health clinic if you think you have PID or have pelvic pain that comes and goes. Also get one if you have symptoms and are or might be pregnant, or do not feel better after 3 days of antibiotics. Get emergency help if you have severe or sudden sharp pain in your lower tummy or pelvis, pain in your shoulder or ribs, a high temperature, vomiting, dizziness, heavy vaginal bleeding, or feel very unwell. If you could be pregnant and have severe pain on one side, get emergency help, as this can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Using condoms every time you have sex lowers your risk of the STIs that cause PID.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have pelvic pain or think you may have an STI, get checked by a doctor, nurse or sexual health clinic.