Delayed Diagnosis of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
A delay in diagnosing pelvic inflammatory disease can leave the woman infertile. Where her fertility remains, she has an increased chance of suffering an ectopic pregnancy.
What is pelvic inflammatory disease?
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a condition which affects the reproductive system of women, specifically the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the womb.
It is often caused by bacteria spreading from elsewhere in the reproductive system, produced by sexually-transmitted conditions such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
Diagnosis and treatment
It is important that pelvic inflammatory disease is diagnosed at an early stage and treated promptly with antibiotics.
In these circumstances, recovery is more likely.
A delay in diagnosis, however, can have a far more distressing outcome.
Effects of delayed diagnosis and treatment
A delay in treating pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to a range of debilitating conditions including the following:
- Infertility - according to NHS statistics, it is thought that approximately 10% of women who develop pelvic inflammatory disease will become infertile. This is due to scarring and damage to the fallopian tubes caused by the condition which then restricts the transfer of eggs from the ovaries ot the womb during the menstrual cycle
- An ectopic pregnancy – this can also be caused by scarring to the fallopian tubes, resulting in eggs becoming stuck outside of the womb. An ectopic pregnancy can become life-threatening if the fallopian tube is ruptured before the condition is identified.
- Abscesses – the bacterial infection can also cause an abscess to develop inside the fallopian tube which can be painful and may require antibiotics or surgery to resolve the problem.
- Chronic pelvic pain can also result from pelvic inflammatory disease
Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease
Many women may suffer only mild symptoms and may not know that they are developing the condition.
However, the following symptoms might indicate that there is a problem:
- Discomfort during sex
- Lower abdominal pain
- Pain when urinating
- Heavy periods
- Unusual vaginal discharge
It is important to get these symptoms checked out as they may be an indication of a potentially life-changing condition.
Diagnosing pelvic inflammatory disease
A range of tests may be necessary in order to identify the causes of any symptoms and diagnose if the patient has pelvic inflammatory disease:
- taking a vaginal swab will enable an assessment of any bacteria in the reproductive system
- testing for the presence of a sexually transmitted infection might give another indication of pelvic inflammatory disease. However, having an STI does not necessarily mean that a woman also has PID
- a urine test
- blood tests
- an ultrasound scan
If a patient who is known to be suffering with a sexually-transmitted infection, is suffering with the above symptoms, it should be considered that they might also have pelvic inflammatory disease.
Prompt investigation is advisable to avoid long-term problems which may affect the woman's ability to have children.
Medical negligence
If indications that a woman may have pelvic inflammatory disease are misdiagnosed or there is a failure to investigate, the medical professional may be considered to have provided a substandard level of medical care.
If you or a loved one are struggling with the long-term impact of pelvic inflammatory disease due to a failure to diagnose the condition, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Contact Glynns to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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