Treatment and Prevention
PID can be cured with antibiotics, but it's important to start treatment as early as possible. Most women are treated at home, but some women will be treated in the hospital. Hospitalization may be needed for women who:
- are very ill
- are pregnant
- did not respond to or cannot take antibiotics
- have an abscess
Treatment usually consists of at least two antibiotics. More than one antibiotic is used because it can be difficult to identify the bacteria causing PID. To avoid reinfection, sexual partners should also be treated even if they don't have symptoms.
PID can be prevented by:
- abstaining from sexual intercourse or only having intercourse in a mutually monogamous relationship (where neither of you has sex with anyone else and both of you have tested negative for STIs)
- using condoms to prevent STIs
- getting frequent testing and early treatment for STIs
Melanie N. Smith, MD, PhD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.