Welcome to cknaija@WordPress.com! A Blackberry phone blogger and social media advocate, sharing information, inspiring and motivating people especially Nigerians to greatness. once in a while I do come across inspiring writeups, I aim to share them via this platform,I do write myself and would also share some of mine, so stay tuned for motivation and feel free to always come for more. For feedback feel free to drop a comment would always reply.
I read this article long ago, and I had been looking for it, it is a good read, and I need to share with a wider audience that probably missed it, more interesting than the articles are the comments on her blog, follow the link (address to her article) below to read the OP and the comments ~ cknaija2013
The Gold Digger in Me
Posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 9:08 AM
By Glory Edozien
Every woman is a Gold digger. We just use different tools, some use cranes, some tractors, others straws and the rest, spoons. (Glory Edozien, 2009)
The above statement was once my facebook status message and I sincerely doubt that my profile page has been any busier after that day.
When I was younger I believed in unconditional love. I dated guys with empty pockets, stingy a$$ dudes who would rather pretend to be broke than loan their mother 10 bucks. But it didn’t matter to me. Everything I have ever wanted, I have bought with my own money. So whether a guy spent money on me or not, had a good car or not, or lived with his parents at the age of 30, I wasn’t bothered. Instead I believed in ‘building with my man’. The naïve little girl in me actually believed that ‘if you are with a man when he has nothing, he will always remember you when he has something’.
Fast forward a couple of years and throw in the speed bumps and punches of life, and I am a completely different person. Well maybe not totally different, just wiser and smarter. Wise enough to know that a stingy man in his 30’s will be an even stinger man in his 40’s and that the only loyal mammals on earth are dogs not humans. Smart enough to realise that it is important for a man to have his own things and be financially capable of taking care of me and our future children and not be ashamed to let him know that his ability to fulfil those roles impact greatly on our relationship. Let’s be honest girls, men waste no time in letting us know what they want in the kitchen or in the sack. They don’t bat an eyelid when they say ‘oh this girl is not my type’, ‘she is too fat’, ‘she is too thin’, ‘she isn’t yellow enough’, ‘she can’t cook’, ‘I don’t like her mother’, ‘she is an aje butter’. So why is it that when we are seeking to legitimately secure our future and those of our children we are automatically labelled derogatory terms such as ‘gold digger’.
However with every good bunch of grapes there is always the sour one which makes you think the rest maybe just as bad! Take for instance a guy I went on a date with some time last year (lets call him Uche). We met up at a swanky bar in London and he was absolutely stunned when after scanning through the drinks menu filled with expensive drinks that I opted for lemonade (£5.60) instead of something pricier. He told me of a girl who he had met for the first time at a similar priced bar who had ordered a bottle of Louis Roederer Crystal Rose Champagne on his tab—a £500 bottle of champagne. Although he claimed he could easily afford it, he made it clear to her that he thought it was outrageous for her to order such an expensive drink. The poor girl was so embarrassed she changed her order to a bottle of mineral water!
Another friend of mine recently broke up with his girlfriend because, as he put it, ‘he was tired of being her daddy’. According to him she asked him for everything under the sun. Money for hair extensions, cloths, bags, shoes, petrol, make up and would get very upset or even withhold ‘extracurricular affairs’ if he delayed payment. The final straw came when she bought a set of matching gold earrings, necklace and bracelet worth N450, 000 and sent the trader to his office to harass him for the money!
So yeah, I agree. There are ‘some’ girls who put the ‘gold’ in gold digger but these are extreme cases. Most regular women folk aren’t walking around like the devil, seeking a man’s money to devour! They just want to be sure their man can afford to take care of them and will happily supplement his income to ensure the smooth running of the home. However, in today’s relationships where the woman is already playing wife while she is girlfriend (cooking, cleaning and bedroom duties), I think it’s only fair for the man to start playing husband too.
Every man should take pride in being able to afford to take care of his woman. Personally I cannot be with a man who does not see me eye to eye on this issue and I am not ashamed to say so. Nowadays before I date a guy he must pass the financial acid test. Good job, good car, nice flat, generous with dollops of ambition and drive! Gone are the days were I was fasting and praying for a man to buy his first car only for him to put another woman in the front seat. Anh anh, my mother didn’t raise no fool! I will fast and pray with you for that promotion, while the AC of your current car is blowing me in the face. I will get up and seek the Lord early in the morning for his salary increase when I have recovered from our romantic getaway in Dubai. I will cook the best tasting Egusi soup known to man while I am in his fully fitted kitchen and furnished home. I will hold his hand through all of life’s ups and downs while he treats me like the princess I deserve to be. And if all this makes me a gold digger, then I’ll say it loud and hard, I am digging for gold and I’m proud!
http://www.bellanaija.com/2010/03/09/the-gold-digger-in-me/
As a counter you may need to read up on other articles shared here
cknaija.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/three-categories-of-women-by-akin-al-ameen/ Also check out this cknaija.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/rich-man-reply-to-pretty-lady-seeking-him/
“ABOMINATION!: HOW SON KILLED MOTHER, HID BODY FOR 10 YEARS”
Dr. Chimezie Osigwe, 64, is a retired school principal of Awa Community Secondary School, Ejemekwuru in Oguta local government area of Imo State. He not only allegedly killed his mother, he was said to have also dried her remains and stored them in a cupboard in a room that allegedly served as his shrine!
The 78-year old mother, Mrs. Lucy Osigwe, reportedly went missing sometime in 2003, some 10 years ago! There was no clue whatsoever about her where-abouts.
Dr. Osigwe lived in a dilapidated house. He had no fleet of cars and estates. Some members of his Ejemekwuru community said he was a recluse. Nobody understood his ways. Everything surrounding him suggested abject poverty!
Two stories were told about how the remains of his allegedly missing mother were found. One of the stories had it that a relation of the man was not particularly happy that Osigwe was reluctant to settle his indebtedness to him and decided to search his house to help himself with whatever he could lay his hands on.
But instead of finding cash, the young boy allegedly stumbled on the old woman’s remains and narrated the story to other relations who then mobilized and stormed Osigwe’s shrine where the boy’s story was allegedly confirmed.
The other story had it that some youths from feelers from the late woman’s maternal home, Amakohia, Awa, also in Oguta local council area, showed that they made the startling discovery.
A villager, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said that following the inexplicable disappearance of the old woman, some villagers decided to double check the stories told by Osigwe.
“On getting to Ejemekwuru, our people demanded to know why the woman had remained missing for 10 years. the son told the villagers that his mother was mad at a point and ran away to an unknown place”, the villager recounted.
Not satisfied with the response, as well as the non-chalant attitude allegedly exhibited by the son, the villagers, according to the villager, went berserk, destroying things in sight and ended up spotting the large cupboard containing the remains of their loved one.
“With this startling discovery, the villagers quickly lodged a complaint with the police who subsequently swung into action”, he stated.
Confirming the discovery of the woman’s body, Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Katsina, said it was found in a large cupboard inside the shrine located in the suspect’s private room.
“The missing woman’s lifeless body was found in a village called Ezuru Umuagwu, Ejemekwuru, Oguta local government area of Imo State”, the CP said.
“The corpse of the 78-year-old Mrs. Osigweh, declared missing in 2003, was found in a large cupboard inside the shrine in a private room in a circumstance depicting ritual practice. “The embalmed body, which was kept in that condition for about 10 years, was alleged to have been placed in the warehouse by her son, Chief Dr. Chimezie Osigweh, a 64-year old retired school principal”.
The Imo police boss alleged that the suspect was a member of a sect, adding that “preliminary assessment of the scene of crime revealed that the late woman could have been murdered for ritual purpose”.
Katsina also alleged that members of a sect used to hold secret nocturnal meetings in the place to enhance their occultic powers.
“The principal suspect, Chief Dr. Chimezie Osigwe, who is the son of the woman, has been arrested and is making useful statement to the police”, the CP said.
The suspect refused to disclose why he treated his mother disrespectfully for ten years. He rather pleaded that he should not be forced to say anything for fear of being attacked by his enemies.
“Do you know that I have escaped three assassination attempts? Please, I will not say anything because my enemies are all over the place so that they will not use it to attack me”, Osigwe told journalists.
Irked by the adverse image created by criminal stories from Imo State in recent times, royal fathers from the state rose from an emergency meeting in Owerri, condemning the factory baby saga and Osigwe for allegedly killing his mother for ritual purposes.
The traditional fathers also ordered the banishing of the alleged perpetrators from their ancestral homes. Rolling out the decisions of the royal fathers at the secretariat of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Chairman, Eze Sam Agunwa Ohiri, explained that they took the decision in view of the shame the
two incidents brought to the state and its people.
Taken from Nigeria info fb page
A simple hand-made Mosquito Trap ~
A very Cheap Way to kill mosquitos:
This information could save thousands of innocent lives from the cruel fate of dengue.
FIGHTING DENGUE MUST START AT EVERY HOME.
A Simple hand-made Mosquito trap ( Prevention of Dengue & other mosquito born diseases)
It’s just a mix of water, brown sugar and yeast.
1. Cut a plastic bottle in half, keep both parts. Can be soft drink
bottle.
2.Take the lower portion of the bottle. Dissolve the brown sugar ( or white sugar if you don’t have brown sugar) in hot
water. Let it cool down to ~70 deg F /~ 32 deg C) (room temperature).
3.Add the yeast. Carbon dioxide will be formed and will attract the
mosquitoes.
4.Cover the bottle with a dark wrap and insert in the top portion upside
down like a funnel. Place it in a corner in your house.
5. In 2 weeks you will be surprised by the number of mosquitoes killed.
share this Info to Others
Taken from ” I like to join daily health tips for keeping us fit & healthy” fb page
I am yet to try it out, sounds too good to be true sha, would do so as soon as I can get my hands on yeast, if you have tried it please let us know as a comment~cknaija
Taken From Nigeria Info FB page
ADDRESS
BY
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR
ON THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BORNO, YOBE AND ADAMAWA STATES IN ORDER TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER, PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE AFFECTED STATES OF THE FEDERATION
MAY 14, 2013
Dear compatriots,
1. It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states. These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.
2. The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.
3. The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.
4. Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.
5. These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.
6. They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.
7. Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.
8. We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.
9. Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.
10. While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.
11. We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
12. Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
13. Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.
14. This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.
15. The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
16. I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.
17. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.
18. Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.
19. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.
20.I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.
People have been sending me links to vote for their friends, their sisters, or to use my blog as a platform, I would have been tempted but I have to sacrifice my own vote and remain neutral by not voting, however, unbiased I will still let you know what my top 12 votes would have been, I do not know these ladies, but based on the pics they gave us to vote on, I pass judgement, but then again I have been privileged to view some of the contestants facebook page, many unfortunately did not make my top12 list but were finer based on their pictures, beauty they say lies in the eyes of the beholder and this is my perspective, not at all encompassing of total beauty, more of photogenic selection, beauty has more to do with intelligence and character, unfortunately this is not what we have to base our judgement, if you are able to view these ladies in person before making your judgement I will advise you do so, I was not able, this is based on the pictures given to us.
CKNAIJA’s Top 12 in no particular order
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium. Chlamydia can infect both men and women and can cause serious, permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive organs.
How common is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States. In 2011, 1,412,791 cases of chlamydia were reported to CDC from 50 states and the District of Columbia, but an estimated 2.86 million infections occur annually. A large number of cases are not reported because most people with chlamydia do not have symptoms and do not seek testing. Chlamydia is most common among young people. It is estimated that 1 in 15 sexually active females aged 14-19 years has chlamydia.
How do people get chlamydia?
People get chlamydia by having sex with someone who has the infection. “Having sex” means anal, vaginal, or oral sex. Chlamydia can still be transmitted even if a man does not ejaculate. People who have had chlamydia and have been treated can get infected again if they have sex with an infected person.
Chlamydia can also be spread from an infected woman to her baby during childbirth.
Who is at risk for chlamydia?
Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. It is a very common STD, especially among young people. It is estimated that 1 in 15 sexually active females aged 14-19 years has chlamydia.
Sexually active young people are at high risk of acquiring chlamydia for a combination of behavioral and biological reasons. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are also at risk for chlamydial infection since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Chlamydia is known as a ‘silent’ infection because most infected people have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they may not appear until several weeks after exposure. Even when it causes no symptoms, chlamydia can damage a woman’s reproductive organs.
In women, the bacteria first infect the cervix (structure that connects the vagina or birth canal to the uterus or womb) and/or the urethra (urine canal). Some infected women have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. Untreated infections can spread upward to the uterus and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can be silent, or can cause symptoms such as abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if PID causes no symptoms initially, it can lead to infertility (not being able to get pregnant) and other complications later on.
Some infected men have discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (known as “epididymitis”) may also occur, but is less common.
Chlamydia can also infect the rectum in men and women, either through receptive anal sex, or possibly via spread from the cervix and vagina. While these infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause rectal pain, discharge, and/or bleeding (known as “proctitis”).
What complications can result from chlamydial infection?
The initial damage that chlamydia causes often goes unnoticed. However, chlamydial infections can lead to serious health problems.
STDs & Infertility
In women, untreated infection can spread upward to the uterus and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can be silent, or can cause symptoms such as abdominal and pelvic pain. Both symptomatic and silent PID can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive tract and lead to long-term pelvic pain, inability to get pregnant, and potentially deadly ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus).
In pregnant women, untreated chlamydia has been associated with pre-term delivery, and can spread to the newborn, causing an eye infection or pneumonia.
Complications are rare in men. Infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testis, causing pain, fever, and, rarely, preventing a man from being able to father children.
What about chlamydia and HIV?
Untreated chlamydia may increase a person’s chances of acquiring or transmitting HIV – the virus that causes AIDS.
How does chlamydia affect a pregnant woman and her baby?
In pregnant women, untreated chlamydia has been associated with pre-term delivery, and can spread to the newborn, causing an eye infection or pneumonia. Screening and treatment of chlamydia during pregnancy is the best way to prevent these complications. All pregnant women should be screened for chlamydia at their first prenatal visit.
Who should be tested for chlamydia?
Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. Anyone with genital symptoms such as discharge, burning during urination, unusual sores, or rash should avoid having sex until they are able to see a health care provider about their symptoms.
Also, anyone with an oral, anal, or vaginal sex partner who has been recently diagnosed with an STD should see a health care provider for evaluation.
CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing for all sexually active women age 25 or younger and older women with risk factors for chlamydial infections (e.g., women who have a new or more than one sex partner), and all pregnant women. Any woman who is sexually active should discuss her risk factors with a health care provider who can then determine if more frequent testing is necessary.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) who have receptive anal sex should be tested for chlamydia each year. MSM who have multiple and/or anonymous sex partners should be tested more frequently.
HIV-infected sexually active women who are age 25 or younger or have other risk factors, and all HIV-infected patients who report having receptive anal sex should be tested for chlamydia at their first HIV care visit and then at least annually. A patient’s health care provider might determine more frequent testing is necessary, based on the patient’s risk factors.
How is chlamydia diagnosed?
There are laboratory tests to diagnose chlamydia. Specimens commonly used for testing include a cotton swab of the vagina (collected by the woman herself or her health care provider) or a urine sample.
What is the treatment for chlamydia?
Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
Persons with chlamydia should abstain from having sex for seven days after single dose antibiotics, or until completion of a seven-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. Persons whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a woman’s risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated.
Infants infected with chlamydia may develop conjunctivitis (infection of the membrane lining the eyelids) and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.
What about partners?
If a person has been diagnosed and treated for chlamydia, he or she should tell all anal, vaginal, or oral sex partners from the past 2 months so that they can see a healthcare provider and be treated. This will reduce the risk that the sex partners will develop serious complications from chlamydia and will also reduce the person’s risk of becoming re-infected. A person with chlamydia and all of his or her sex partners must avoid having sex until they have completed their treatment for chlamydia (i.e., seven days after a single dose of antibiotics or until completion of a seven-day course of antibiotics) and until they no longer have symptoms.
For tips on talking to partners about sex and STD testing, visit http://www.gytnow.org/talking-to-your-partner/
To help get partners treated quickly, healthcare providers may give patients extra medicine or prescriptions to give to their sex partners. This is called expedited partner therapy or EPT. EPT is only available in some parts of the country. Consult a healthcare provider to find out if it is available in a specific area. Sex partners should still be encouraged to see a healthcare provider, regardless of whether they receive EPT.
How can chlamydia be prevented?
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of getting or giving chlamydia. The surest way to avoid chlamydia is to abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
All STD Fact Sheets
Where can I get more information?
Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/std
CDC-INFO Contact Center
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm
What is PID?
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) refers to infection of the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) and other reproductive organs that causes symptoms such as lower abdominal pain. It is a serious complication of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially chlamydia and gonorrhea. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and tissues in and near the uterus and ovaries. PID can lead to serious consequences including infertility, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tube or elsewhere outside of the womb), abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.
How common is PID?
Each year in the United States, it is estimated that more than 750,000 women experience an episode of acute PID. Up to 10-15% of these women may become infertile as a result of PID. A large proportion of the ectopic pregnancies occurring every year are due to the consequences of PID.
The more sex partners a woman has, the greater her risk of developing PID. Also, a woman whose partner has more than one sex partner is at greater risk of developing PID, because of the potential for more exposure to infectious agents.
How do women get PID?
PID occurs when bacteria move upward from a woman’s vagina or cervix (opening to the uterus) into her reproductive organs. Many different organisms can cause PID, but many cases are associated with gonorrhea and chlamydia, two very common bacterial STDs. A prior episode of PID increases the risk of another episode because the reproductive organs may be damaged during the initial bout of infection.
Sexually active women in their childbearing years are most at risk, and those under age 25 are more likely to develop PID than those older than 25. This is partly because the cervix of teenage girls and young women is not fully matured, increasing their susceptibility to the STDs that are linked to PID.
The more sex partners a woman has, the greater her risk of developing PID. Also, a woman whose partner has more than one sex partner is at greater risk of developing PID, because of the potential for more exposure to infectious agents.
Women who douche may have a higher risk of developing PID compared with women who do not douche. Research has shown that douching changes the vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) in harmful ways, and can force bacteria into the upper reproductive organs from the vagina.
Women who have an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted may have a slightly increased risk of PID near the time of insertion compared with women using other contraceptives or no contraceptive at all. However, this risk is greatly reduced if a woman is tested and, if necessary, treated for STDs before an IUD is inserted.
What are the signs and symptoms of PID?
Symptoms of PID vary from mild to severe. When PID is caused by chlamydial infection, a woman may be more likely to experience only mild symptoms even when serious damage is being done to her reproductive organs. Chlamydia can also cause fallopian tube infection without any symptoms. Because of vague symptoms, PID often goes unrecognized by women and their health care providers. Women who have symptoms of PID most commonly have lower abdominal pain. Other signs and symptoms include fever, unusual vaginal discharge that may have a foul odor, painful intercourse, painful urination, irregular menstrual bleeding, and pain in the right upper abdomen (rare).
What are the complications of PID?
Prompt and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications of PID, including permanent damage to the female reproductive organs. Infection-causing bacteria can silently invade the fallopian tubes, causing normal tissue to turn into scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks or interrupts the normal movement of eggs into the uterus. If the fallopian tubes are totally blocked by scar tissue, sperm cannot fertilize an egg, and the woman becomes infertile. Infertility also can occur if the fallopian tubes are partially blocked or even slightly damaged. Up to 10-15% of women with PID may become infertile, and if a woman has multiple episodes of PID, her chances of becoming infertile increase.
In addition, a partially blocked or slightly damaged fallopian tube may cause a fertilized egg to remain in the fallopian tube. If this fertilized egg begins to grow in the tube as if it were in the uterus, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. As it grows, an ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tube causing severe pain, internal bleeding, and even death.
Scarring in the fallopian tubes and other pelvic structures can also cause chronic pelvic pain (pain that lasts for months or even years). Women with repeated episodes of PID are more likely to suffer infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.
How is PID diagnosed?
PID is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are often subtle and mild. Many episodes of PID go undetected because the woman or her health care provider fails to recognize the implications of mild or nonspecific symptoms. Because there are no precise tests for PID, a diagnosis is usually based on clinical findings. If symptoms such as lower abdominal pain are present, a health care provider should perform a physical examination to determine the nature and location of the pain and check for fever, abnormal vaginal or cervical discharge, and for evidence of gonorrheal or chlamydial infection. If the findings suggest PID, treatment is necessary.
The health care provider may also order tests to identify the infection-causing organism (e.g., chlamydial or gonorrheal infection) or to distinguish between PID and other problems with similar symptoms. A pelvic ultrasound is a helpful procedure for diagnosing PID. An ultrasound can view the pelvic area to see whether the fallopian tubes are enlarged or whether an abscess is present. In some cases, a laparoscopy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure in which a thin, rigid tube with a lighted end and camera (laparoscope) is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen. This procedure enables the doctor to view the internal pelvic organs and to take specimens for laboratory studies, if needed.
What is the treatment for PID?
PID can be cured with several types of antibiotics. A health care provider will determine and prescribe the best therapy. However, antibiotic treatment does not reverse any damage that has already occurred to the reproductive organs. If a woman has pelvic pain and other symptoms of PID, it is critical that she seek care immediately. Prompt antibiotic treatment can prevent severe damage to reproductive organs. The longer a woman delays treatment for PID, the more likely she is to become infertile or to have a future ectopic pregnancy because of damage to the fallopian tubes.
Because of the difficulty in identifying organisms infecting the internal reproductive organs and because more than one organism may be responsible for an episode of PID, PID is usually treated with at least two antibiotics that are effective against a wide range of infectious agents. These antibiotics can be given by mouth or by injection. The symptoms may go away before the infection is cured. Even if symptoms go away, the woman should finish taking all of the prescribed medicine. This will help prevent the infection from returning. Women being treated for PID should be re-evaluated by their health care provider three days after starting treatment to be sure the antibiotics are working to cure the infection. In addition, a woman’s sex partner(s) should be treated to decrease the risk of re-infection, even if the partner(s) has no symptoms. Although sex partners may have no symptoms, they may still be infected with the organisms that can cause PID.
Hospitalization to treat PID may be recommended if the woman (1) is severely ill (e.g., nausea, vomiting, and high fever); (2) is pregnant; (3) does not respond to or cannot take oral medication and needs intravenous antibiotics; (4) has an abscess in the fallopian tube or ovary (tubo-ovarian abscess); or (5) needs to be monitored to be sure that her symptoms are not due to another condition that would require emergency surgery (e.g., appendicitis). If symptoms continue or if an abscess does not go away, surgery may be needed. Complications of PID, such as chronic pelvic pain and scarring are difficult to treat, but sometimes they improve with surgery.
How can PID be prevented?
Women can protect themselves from PID by taking action to prevent STDs or by getting early treatment if they do get an STD.
The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea.
CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing of all sexually active women age 25 or younger, older women with risk factors for chlamydial infections (those who have a new sex partner or multiple sex partners), and all pregnant women. An appropriate sexual risk assessment by a health care provider should always be conducted and may indicate more frequent screening for some women.
Any genital symptoms such as an unusual sore, discharge with odor, burning during urination, or bleeding between menstrual cycles could mean an STD infection. If a woman has any of these symptoms, she should stop having sex and consult a health care provider immediately. Treating STDs early can prevent PID. Women who are told they have an STD and are treated for it should notify all of their recent sex partners so they can see a health care provider and be evaluated for STDs. Sexual activity should not resume until all sex partners have been examined and, if necessary, treated.
All STD Fact Sheets
Where can I get more information?
Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/std
CDC-INFO Contact Center
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/PID/STDFact-PID.htm
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
