Dr. Nalini G Shetty

The uterus, vagina and cervix are major components of the female reproductive system. Their functioning impacts the overall growth and health of the female body as well as sexuality.

There are a number of infections and diseases that affect the female reproductive organs. Most cases require clinical care and treatment in consultation with a gynaecologist.

Following are the symptoms of infection in the uterus, cervix or vagina:

• Pain or numbness in the pelvic region
• Unusual discharge from the vagina
• Bleeding during or after intercourse
• Pain or burning sensation during urination
• Skipped periods
• Excessively painful menstrual cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Urinary incontinence

There are three main types of infections that affect the organs of the female reproductive system. They are as follows:

1. Vaginitis
This is an infection that affects the vagina. It occurs when the walls of the vagina get inflamed and irritated. It is caused by bacteria, viruses, yeast, chemicals and even clothing. It often occurs due to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The different types of infections that occur as vaginitis are yeast infection, viral vaginitis, bacterial vaginitis, trichomoniasis vaginitis, etc.

2. Cervicitis
This infection affects the cervix. Cervicitis can either be acute or chronic in nature, depending upon what causes the cervix to get inflamed. It occurs most commonly due to sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes. This condition is often confused with vaginitis as the two have similar causes and symptoms.

3. Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (pid) is a serious infection that affects the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. It is caused by sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea and can lead to severe complications. It often causes scar tissue to grow between the internal organs and may even lead to ectopic pregnancy. If not properly diagnosed, it can cause infertility and other chronic problems.

Treating the various infections that affect the female reproductive system depends on a number of factors such as nature of the problem, age and medical history of the patient, and the root causes. Early detection and diagnosis ensure effective treatment which makes it important to see a gynaecologist at the onset of symptoms.