PID is an infection of the reproductive organs. PID does not automatically mean infertility. Plenty of women who had PID go on to have children. PID can cause infertility if left untreated though because it can damage reproductive organs.
PID is treated with antibiotics, so there is usually no reason to take further medication once the PID infection is cleared up.
To decrease the chances of getting PID:
-avoid douche
-use male latex condoms (STDs increase the chances of getting PID)
-get tested for STDs
-be careful with IUD use. Talk to the doctor at the first sign of infection. Women who are prone to infections may have to avoid IUDs altogether.
If you want more information:
1. Talk to your sister in law. If she was diagnosed with PID, she should know a lot about it! When people are diagnosed with something, they should not say, "Ok, thanks, doc. See you later!" and leave.
xp When diagnosed with anything, even something small, people have to talk to the doctor about it. Never be afraid of asking too many questions or of bothering the doctor; that's what they're there for. Granted the emergency room doctors might be a bit busy, but in that case, she should immediately schedule an appointment with her general ob-gyn to discuss the issue. If she is short on cash, she can talk to a doctor at a clinic like Planned Parenthood or Family Planning. She can even ask if they have a slow time of day so she can take up more of their time. Not asking the doctor for more information is incredibly dangerous. Imagine the doctor telling someone they have diabetes. If the person doesn't know anything about diabetes, they won't know that they have to monitor what they eat, right? If a doctor (other than an emergency room doctor) can't take the time to sit down with your sister in law, she might need a different doctor. Any good doctor will discuss these things and let her know things like how long she needs to take her medication for.
2. Check the internet. There are many great resources there. Check out sites such as:
"Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a general term that refers to infection of the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) and other reproductive organs....PID occurs when bacteria move upward from a woman's v****a or cervix (opening to the uterus) into her reproductive organs....Symptoms of PID vary from none to severe....Prompt and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications of PID. Without treatment, PID can cause permanent damage to the female reproductive organs. Infection-causing bacteria can silently invade the fallopian tubes, causing normal tissue to turn into scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks or interrupts the normal movement of eggs into the uterus. If the fallopian tubes are totally blocked by scar tissue, sperm cannot fertilize an egg, and the woman becomes infertile. Infertility also can occur if the fallopian tubes are partially blocked or even slightly damaged. About one in ten women with PID becomes infertile, and if a woman has multiple episodes of PID, her chances of becoming infertile increase....PID can be cured with several types of antibiotics.....However, antibiotic treatment does not reverse any damage that has already occurred to the reproductive organs."
http://www.cdc.gov/std/PID/STDFact-PID.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pelvicinflammatorydisease.htmlhttp://www.4woman.gov/faq/stdpids.htm 
Reply
