Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease affects the reproductive organs of many women. It is an infection that can be caused by many different sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea and Chlamydia. Pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to infertility.

Pelvic inflammatory disease can infect and seriously damage the fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries. Ectopic pregnancies and infertility are common effects of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Women under twenty-five are the most susceptible to this type of infection because the cervix is not completely developed until this age and bacteria can more easily travel into the uterus and fallopian tubes. Women who douche are also more at risk. Douching can wash away helpful flora around the cervix and in the vagina that would normally help protect you from harmful bacteria. Douching can also help facilitate and force bacteria into the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes.

In many cases, symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease may be undetectable or only slightly noticed. Many women go undiagnosed for this reason. Symptoms may include painful urination or intercourse, irregular menstrual periods, foul smelling vaginal discharge or fever. Without treatment or with delayed treatment, the effects of pelvic inflammatory disease can get much worse.

Permanent damage to the reproductive organs can occur when healthy tissues are infected. The organs will try to fight off the bacteria, thus forming scar tissues. This scar tissue can block the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are responsible for transporting the egg to the uterus where it can implant if fertilized. Scarring in the fallopian tubes can cause the egg to be trapped and unable to travel. It can also cause sperm to never be able to reach an egg. If an egg is fertilized, then it can be trapped in the fallopian tube, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies can cause fallopian tubes to burst, cause internal bleeding and possibly death.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is usually diagnosed when chlamydia or gonorrhea is found. An ultrasound can show if the fallopian tubes are swollen or enlarged to help diagnose pelvic inflammatory disease. Laparoscopy can also be used to inspect the reproductive organs and diagnose PID.

PID can usually be treated with antibiotics. If it is caught early enough, damage to reproductive organs can be minimal. If damage has occurred, then you may need to be seen by a Reproductive Endocrinologist or infertility specialist highly trained in laparoscopic surgery to start infertility treatment.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.

What is Frozen Pelvis?

Endometriosis is a growing concern among women today. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the endometrial glands and stroma that line the uterus grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis tissue can grow anywhere inside of the abdominal cavity. The symptoms of endometriosis include severe pelvic pain, heavy or erratic bleeding and fatigue. If the endometriosis spreads through the abdominal cavity and fuses organs together, it is referred to as frozen pelvis.
If you have been diagnosed with frozen pelvis, you may have a lot of questions. Frozen pelvis is caused by pelvic inflammation, most commonly endometriosis. Frozen pelvis can cause a lot of different problems. Each individual inflicted with frozen pelvis will have a unique diagnosis. Your intestine may be fused with the uterus, your bladder can be fused with your abdominal wall, or your ovaries and fallopian tubes can be fused with your uterus, which is fused with a cesarean section scar. Every situation is unique and the problems can be widespread.
You may be wondering why this happened to you. Many women have the same question. Endometriosis occurs when uterine lining, normally shed during menstruation, moves upward in the uterus, through the fallopian tubes, and out into the abdominal cavity. This tissue is very irritating to the abdominal tissues and can cause the abdominal tissue to become sticky and scarred. Long strands of scar tissue, called adhesions, can bind organs together. They pull on the organs that they inflict and can affect their function. This can cause bowels to be obstructed. It can cause your bladder not to empty, causing infections. In many cases, surgery and/or medication will be recommended if problems like this are occurring.
Infertility is another possible side effect of endometriosis. To determine that endometriosis is the cause of infertility, a surgical procedure called laparoscopy may be performed. This allows your doctor to see inside of your abdominal cavity with a small scope. Your doctor may determine that endometriosis is one possible cause of infertility if it is adhering to your ovaries and fallopian tubes, or distorting your reproductive organs in any way. Endometriosis can cause tubes to be blocked or ovaries to adhere to abdominal walls or your uterus. In rare cases the endometriosis can grow into your ovaries and damage your eggs, resulting in a reduced egg quality or quantity.
Your next question is probably about treatment options. Frozen pelvis is an advance stage of endometriosis and may require ongoing treatment for fertility to return or to have relief from its debilitating symptoms. Surgery, hormone therapy and physical therapy can all help you get on your way to healing.
The endometrial cells that are causing your frozen pelvis react to hormones in a manner similar to your uterine lining. This means that the cells thicken and shed just like having a menstrual period inside of your body. Blood and endometrial cells can pool up, since they have nowhere to go, causing a lot of pain. Birth control pills can help the problem tissues shrink and cause fewer problems. The growth of the tissues can be controlled long-term in this manner. Anti-inflammatory medications help with pain. Exercise, stretching and palpation of the affected area can help some of the adhesions break loose from your organs. Talk to your doctor about what infertility treatment. options are best for your personal situation and good luck with your journey to fertility and relief.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit http://www.drericdaitermd.com/.