Ask An Expert: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

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Ask An Expert: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Question:

How long do I have to wait after a diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease to have sexual intercourse?

Answer:

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the female pelvic organs that is passed through sexual contact. Several different bacteria can cause it, but the most common are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Symptoms include pelvic pain, vaginal discharge and fever.

Many women do not have symptoms. The condition is diagnosed by cultures taken during a routine pelvic examination. Sexually active women ages 20 to 25 and women with multiple sexual partners are at highest risk for pelvic inflammatory disease. They should be screened yearly.

When pelvic inflammatory disease is diagnosed, all of the woman's sexual partners for the preceding two months should be contacted and treated. If her current partner is not treated, then she is at high risk of becoming re-infected.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is treated with antibiotics. The specific antibiotic used and how long the treatment is depends on the bacteria responsible for the infection. Sometimes a single high dose of antibiotic is given and other times treatment lasts seven days or more. Women should not have intercourse until treatment is complete and all symptoms have gone away. If a woman is treated with a single-dose regimen, she should wait at least seven days after receiving the antibiotic and should not resume intercourse unless she feels completely well.

Joan Bengtson, M.D., is assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproduction at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Last updated:	July 01, 2007