Hospitalizations for pelvic inflammatory disease in Canada, 1983/84-1993/94.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is “an inflammation of the endometrium, fallopian tubes, pelvic peritoneum and/or contiguous structures”(1). The inflammation is caused by an infection of the genital tract which spreads upwardly from the vagina and endocervix to the upper reproductive tract. Approximately 75% to 85% of PID is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis(1-3). It has been estimated that gonococcal infection is involved in 25% to 50% of PID cases and chlamydial infection in 30% to 60%(1).