Pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility

BACKGROUND: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a major cause of morbidity and reproductive difficulty in women of childbearing age. OBJECTIVE: This article outlines the pathogenesis, clinical evaluation and management of PID with a focus on the management of long-term fertility-related sequelae. DISCUSSION: The clinical presentation of PID can be variable and clinicians need to have a low threshold for suspecting the diagnosis. Despite a good clinical response to antimicrobials, the risk of long-term complications is high. Therefore, a history of PID would warrant early review in couples planning conception for further evaluation and discussion of the various modalities available for treatment if spontaneous conception does not occur.