[Follow-up and counselling after pelvic inflammatory disease]

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can be responsible for infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Treatment of acute PID is very important as it can reduce the risk of sequelae. However, follow-up, partner treatment and counselling are also useful to reduce the reinfection rate. Few weeks after PID, clinical evaluation as well as transvaginal and transabdominal sonography must be performed. The interest of systematic bacteriological tests is not proved. Hysterosalpingography and second-look laparoscopy should be considered only for women with infertility and severe infection. Use of condom is advisable in this population in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including HIV and to decrease rate of recurrence, associated to contraceptive pill, which is also a good option. In selected cases, intrauterine devices can be used in patients with history of PID if the infection is resolved and no significant risk factors for STD exist. Infertility and chronic pelvic pain are the most common sequelae in the population of young women with severe and recurrent infection. The risk of ectopic pregnancy is higher for these women and must be kept in mind. Counselling and risk-reduction interventions decreased significatively the rate of recurrence and sequelae in PID.