Consider Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Don't forget to consider PID when chlamydia is diagnosed in a patient with female reproductive organs.
Diagnosing PID
Clinicians should have a low threshold for diagnosing PID in young sexually active women and women diagnosed with an STI if they are experiencing pelvic or lower abdominal pain where no other cause can be identified.
For help diagnosing PID, see:
- Common causes of low abdominal (pelvic) pain in women of reproductive age (PDF)
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease diagnosis flowchart (PDF)
- Speculum and bimanual examination (PDF)
Chlamydia is the most commonly detected STI associated with PID, followed by Neisseria gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium. In many cases however, no causal orgaism is identified.1
Patient resources for PID
For a patient factsheet about PID, click below
For all patient resources, click below
GP resources for PID
Need more help?
Contact your local Family Planning organisation or specialist sexual health clinic for further support.
For all GP resources, click below
Key guidelines for chlamydia case management
For PID diagnosis, treatment and management
Australian STI Management Guidelines (updated March 2018).
For guidance on acute abdominal pain in women, including differential diagnosis, speculum and bimanual examinations, and a PID flowchart
NSW Health STI Programs Unit (STIPU) Acute Abdominal Pain in Women