Most patients are now treated in an outpatient setting, but physicians should consider hospitalization in selected cases. Most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are presumed to occur in 2 stages. The first stage is acquisition of a vaginal or cervical infection; this infection is often sexually transmitted and may be asymptomatic. The second stage is direct ascent of microorganisms from the vagina or cervix to the upper genital tract, with infection and inflammation of these structures.
The health care provider may also order tests to identify the infection-causing organism or to distinguish between PID and other problems with similar symptoms. A pelvic ultrasound is a helpful procedure for diagnosing PID.
