Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a sexually transmitted disease seen in women, and is usually caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia. PID most often occurs in adolescent and young women, and can be a silent infection that may go undetected for years. Undiagnosed and untreated, PID leads to many potentially severe and devastating health consequences in women of reproductive age, including infertility.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease discusses the epidemiology of PID, as well as outlines the epidemiology of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the United States. It highlights, through one young woman’s personal story, the severity, the symptoms, and the consequences of PID. Although effective medications have been available for decades, the disease continues to occur and can result in several health complications in young women.