Discharge from the vagina
Pelvic infection (pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID)
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a serious infection of a
woman’s womb, tubes, or ovaries.
womb
abscess
A pelvic infection can happen when a woman has an
STI, usually chlamydia or gonorrhea, that is not treated.
It can also happen to a woman after an abortion or after a
birth. Germs get into the woman’s womb, tubes, or ovaries
and cause infection there.
pelvic infection
If a pelvic infection is not treated, it can cause long-term pain for the woman.
Women who have had pelvic infections have a greater chance of having a tubal
pregnancy or of becoming infertile. Pelvic infection can even lead to death.
Signs of pelvic infection
• pain in the lower belly
• high fever (more than 38°C or 100.4°F)
• feeling very ill or weak
• bad-smelling green or yellow discharge from the vagina
• pain or bleeding during sex
To treat pelvic infections
A woman with a pelvic infection should take 3 medicines at once.
One medicine to treat chlamydia, one to treat gonorrhea, and another
antibiotic — metronidazole:
For chlamydia
• give 500 mg erythromycin ������������������������������������������������by mouth, 4 times a day
for 14 days
or
• give 500 mg amoxicillin �������������������������������������������������������by mouth, 3 times a day
for 14 days
AND for gonorrhea
• inject 125 mg ceftriaxone ���������������������������������������������������in the muscle, 1 time only
or
• give 400 mg cefixime �������������������������������������������������������������by mouth, 1 time only
AND to kill any other germs that cause pelvic infection
• give 400 to 500 mg metronidazole ����������������������������by mouth, 3 times a day
for 14 days
Do not take metronidazole in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Do not drink alcohol during the time you are taking metronidazole.
If the woman is not better after 2 days and 2 nights (48 hours), or if she has
high fever or vomiting, she should go to a medical center right away.
She needs strong IV medicines (in the vein).
A Book for Midwives (2010)
325