Inflammatory and infectious diseases (Pelvic inflammatory disease)
Definition
It is an infection of the female reproductive organs. It usually occurs when sexually transmitted bacteria spread from your vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.
Causes
It can be caused by a number of bacteria but mostly caused by gonorrhoea or chlamydia infections
Assessment and common findings
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• Pain in your lower abdomen or pelvis
• Heavy vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odour
• Irregular menstrual bleeding
• Pain during intercourse
• Fever
• Painful micturition
Medical management
The doctor may prescribe antibiotics to start taking right away. Usually he will request a follow up for three weeks to see if the antibiotics are working. Treatment will also be given to your partner to prevent the reinfection of an STI.
Health education
One should practice safe sex and limit the number of partners she has. Also request for your partner to be tested. Avoid douching as this upsets the vagina.
Risk factors
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• Having multiple sexual partners
• Having unprotected sex
• Having had an intra uterine device inserted recently
• Douching regularly
Nursing management
Administer prescribed medications
Provides plenty of fluids to drink especially in the presence of pyrexia
Using gloves, observe vaginal discharge
Maintain the patients personal hygiene by giving daily baths
Pathophysiology
In most instances the infection is acute, whereby the infection causing organisms colonise the vagina and cervix causing low grade vaginitis and cervicitis. Subsequently the infection ascends to the uterus and fallopian tubes causing endometrisis, salpigitis and oophorotis.
The ovaries become inflamed and oedematous. The inflammed of the ovaries may suppurate and develop into an abscess that willlater burst into the pelvic peritoneal cavity.