How prevalent are symptoms and risk factors of pelvic inflammatory disease in a sexually conservative population

Abstract

Background Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the inflammation of the adnexa of the uterus, that mainly manifests in a subclinical/chronic context and goes largely underreported. However, it poses a major threat to women’s health, as it is responsible for infertility and ectopic pregnancies, as well as chronic pelvic pain. Previous studies in Jordan have not reported PID, attributed mainly to the social structure of the country which largely represents a sexually conservative population. Our study aims to report the clinical symptoms that point towards PID and investigate the major risk determinants for the Jordanian population, in a cross-sectional study, using our scoring system based only on clinical data and examination. Methods One hundred sixty-eight consecutive adult women that came in the Outpatient Clinics of Gynaecological Department of the Jordan University Hospital were interviewed and their medical history and symptoms were registered and analysed. A Score for PID symptoms, we developed, was given to each woman. Results and correlations were then statistically tested. Results Our study population consisted of relatively young women (37.7 ± 11) that had their first child at an average age of 24.1 (± 4.8) and a mean parity of 3.1 (± 2.2). Fifty-eight women (34.5%) reported having undergone at least one CS, while the mean PID Symptom Score was 3.3 (± 2.3). The women in our study exhibited 8 symptoms of PID, namely dysmenorrhea and vaginal discharge; being the commonest (45.2% and 44.6% respectively), in addition to chronic pelvic pain, pelvic heaviness, menorrhagia, dyspareunia, urinary symptoms, and smelly urine. They also reported history of 3 conditions that can be attributed to PID, that is infertility, preterm labour, and miscarriages. Conclusions Our PID Scoring System seems to identify the risk factors of PID and predict well the PID likelihood. This score predicts that women with higher parity, who used contraceptives and underwent any invasive medical procedure are expected to score higher in the PID Symptom Score. Our data also suggest that PID should not be ruled out in the Jordanian population when symptoms are compatible to this diagnosis.

Efficacy and classification of Sesamum indicum linn seeds with Rosa damascena mill oil in uncomplicated pelvic inflammatory disease using machine learning

“…In this study, on day 30, 46.6% of participants in the SR group and 40% of participants in the SC group had no dyspareunia. Previous studies also reported that dyspareunia is a presenting symptom of PID ( Parween et al, 2017 ; Al-kuran et al, 2021 ). On day 30, no participant had dysuria in the SR group and one participant in the SC group had dysuria.…”

Gynecologists and pelvic inflammatory disease: do we actually know what to do?: A cross-sectional study in Jordan

“…Non-sexually acquired PID is overlooked despite symptoms of PID being prevalent among Jordanian women (up to 64%) as reported by 2 previous Jordanian studies. [15,16] When doctors were asked about what they thought the percentage of married women in Jordan who might have PID was, 75.6% thought it was less than 25%, while 5.2% thought it was more than 50%. It was evident that they were not following clear guidelines in their practice regarding PID diagnosis and management.…”

Thorn in my Side - A Case of Entrapped, Intra-uterine Foreign Body and Delayed, Atypical Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

“…Patients can present with a spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms [1]. They may do so acutely with fulminating pain and sepsis associated with malodorous vaginal discharge; or, as with the example of our patient, more indolent symptoms that may arise many weeks or months after a possible exposing event [2][3][4]. These latter, atypical presentations are significant for without the provocation for immediate care, delayed diagnosis and treatment may allow the progress of longterm sequalae such as pelvic and tubal inflammatory disease leading to chronic pain, infertility and risks of ectopic pregnancy [5].…”