THE HIV VIRUS (AIDS): The rate of HIV infection is increasing faster among women than in any other group. Individuals who are infected with the HIV virus are much more susceptible to any infection, because the HIV virus interferes with the proper functioning of the immune system. For this reason, women who are HIV positive are more susceptible to both cervical and pelvic infections, and may have more difficulty recovering from these infections. The Canadian Center for Disease Control thus recommends that all HIV positive women with PID be hospitalized for most effective treatment.

HYSTERECTOMY: Most experts do not recommend hysterectomy as a treatment for PID. This is because modern antibiotics are usually effective at treating pelvic infection, and even with widespread infections such as peritonitis (spread of infection to the abdominal cavity), treatment with anti-anaerobic antibiotics (such as clindamycin), combined with surgically draining pus and washing the area with antibiotics, has been found to be more successful than hysterectomy.

Despite the fact that hysterectomy is not recommended by medical experts, many women still find that hysterectomy is suggested to them. In fact, in Canada, one in every ten women hospitalised with PID receives a hysterectomy. These figures are even higher in the U.S. where one in four women hospitalised for PID receives a hysterectomy. Because of the seriousness of this procedure and the possibility of complications, women may wish to research this possibility thoroughly and perhaps seek a second medical opinion. The medical research on PID is unanimous that this option should not even be considered until standard treatments have been thoroughly explored.

For More Information

Women who want more information about pelvic inflammatory disease or detailed references for this chapter can contact the Canadian Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Society. The Society offers a free telephone information service on pelvic inflammatory disease; a variety of brochures, booklets, fact sheets and articles; a large resource library with over 2000 articles on pelvic inflammatory disease and related topics; and self-help telephone support networks for women who would like to talk with other women for information and support. The society's highly recommended booklet on PID has recently been completely revised and updated.

• CANADIAN PID SOCIETY, PO Box 33804, Stn D, Vancouver, BC. V6J 4L6. 604-684-5704.