Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center have been studying the long-term consequences of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and have found that repeated bouts of the disease can double a woman’s risk of infertility.
PID is a complication of sexually transmitted infections and is marked by the inflammation of the reproductive organs. It can cause chronic pelvic pain and ectopic pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PID affects more than 800,000 women in the U.S. each year, and one in 10 of those women develops infertility.
The new research conducted by those at Johns Hopkins explored whether long-term effects of PID had changed in recent years along with changes in PID-causing pathogens and new treatments. The research showed, however, that long-term effects of PID are still serious when it comes to a woman’s fertility. In the study, women with recurrent PID were nearly twice as likely to report infertility as women who never had another PID flare-up after initial PID treatment.
If you’ve had recurrent PID episodes, there might be damage to your reproductive organs that is getting in the way of you conceiving a child. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your unique health situation and your fertility treatment options.