Chronic Female Pelvic Pain: Prevention

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Prevention

Early diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain may help prevent chronic female pelvic pain from developing.

One cause of chronic pelvic pain is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). You can greatly reduce your risk of PID by protecting yourself from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Practice safe sex or abstinence

Preventing an STD is easier than treating an infection after it occurs.

• Talk with your partner about STDs before beginning a sexual relationship. Find out whether he or she is at risk for an STD. Remember that it is quite possible to be infected with an STD without knowing it. Some STDs, such as HIV, can take up to 6 months before they can be detected in the blood.
• Be responsible.
  • Avoid sexual contact if you have symptoms of an STD or are being treated for an STD.
  • Avoid all sexual contact with anyone who has symptoms of an STD or who may have been exposed to an STD.
• Don't have more than one sex partner at a time. Your risk for an STD increases if you have several sex partners at the same time.

Abstaining from sexual contact is the only certain way to avoid exposure to STDs.

Last updated:	January 30, 2007
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC