Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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When to Seek Medical Care

If a female is experiencing the following symptoms, she should see a health care provider:

• Abdominal pain that does not go away
  
  
• Irregular vaginal bleeding
  
  
• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
  
  
• Unusual vaginal discharge
  
  
• Fever, nausea, vomiting

Given the long-term complications PID can cause, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy, it is recommended that females seek immediate medical attention if they have any of these symptoms:

• Lower abdominal pain or tenderness
  
  
• Fever greater than 101 F (38.3 C)
  
  
• Abnormal or foul-smelling vaginal discharge

Adult women with PID are either closely monitored or admitted to the hospital. More aggressive treatment may take place in the hospital for adolescent females, who are at a much higher risk of not following treatment plans and of having complications.

The person may be admitted to the hospital if any of the following occur:

• The definitive diagnosis of the woman's abdominal/pelvic pain is unclear.
  
  
• Ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis cannot be ruled out.
  
  
• She is pregnant.
  
  
• An abscess (a localized infection) is suspected. A tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) is a type of disease seen frequently in PID. A tubo-ovarian abscess is a collection of bacteria, pus, and fluid (abscess) that occurs in the Fallopian tube and involves the ovary. It is most often seen in teens. A tubo-ovarian abscess is also more likely to occur in teens or adult women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs) as birth control. A teen girl with a tubo-ovarian abscess often looks sick, has a fever and pain that makes it difficult to walk. The abscess will be treated in the hospital with antibiotics by most physicians. Surgery may be needed to remove or drain the abscess.
  
  
• The person is acutely ill or cannot manage their illness at home.