When are antibiotics recommended for pelvic inflammatory disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease can involve the womb, fallopian tubes, ovaries, or nearby pelvic tissues. Symptoms may include lower abdominal pain, pain during sex, unusual discharge, bleeding between periods, or fever. A clinician may use an examination, pregnancy test, swabs, urine tests, or imaging to assess you. Treatment can start before all results return when the pattern suggests pelvic infection. Partners may also need assessment, and testing for sexually transmitted infections may be offered.

Take every prescribed antibiotic dose and attend any planned follow-up, even if pain or discharge improves. Avoid sex until treatment is complete and a clinician says it is safe; this helps prevent passing infection back and forth. Do not use someone else’s medicine. Tell the prescriber about allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and other medicines. If symptoms do not begin to settle or return after treatment, arrange another review.

Seek urgent care for severe or one-sided pelvic pain, fainting, persistent vomiting, high fever with chills, heavy bleeding, confusion, or pregnancy with pelvic pain or bleeding. Emergency assessment is also needed if you become suddenly very weak or develop breathing difficulty.

Ask which tests are being done, whether a partner needs treatment, when sex can resume, how follow-up will be arranged, and what symptoms mean you should return sooner.