If you have been following this series, we have defined what vaginal odour means and have discussed a few causes already.
We have discussed causes which are not due to infections and currently we are discussing the infections that can cause it.
We have already discussed Bacterial Vaginosis, Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea.
In this part, let’s discuss Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) as a possible cause of Vaginal Odour.
What is PID?
It is an infection of the female reproductive organs. It usually occurs when sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea and chlamydia spread from the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and other parts of upper genital tract.
What are the symptoms?
* It may not cause any obvious symptoms
* Pain in your lower abdomen and pelvis
*Heavy vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odour
*Irregular menstrual bleeding
*Pain during intercourse
* Heavy periods
* Painful periods
*Low back pain
* High temperature (fever)
*Painful or difficult urination
*Diarrhoea
* Fatigue
*Vomiting
*Signs of shock, such as fainting
Who is at risk of developing PID?
Those who indulge in
* Unprotected sex
*Multiple sex partners
*Regular douching
*Have intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) inserted for contraception (family planning method)
What problems can PID cause for the woman:
* Infertility
*Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy growing outside the womb)
* Chronic pelvic pain (this means long term pain the pelvic region)
NB: It may be a serious disease
We will discuss how to diagnose and treat it later.
I hope you enjoyed this
Thanks for reading
Cheers
Dr Chin Akano.
