Role of sexual behavior in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease.

The role of sexual behavior in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is not well understood. In general the literature is limited and flawed in the methods used to assess sexual behavior. Good evidence suggests that PID in Western society is a sexually transmitted disease. For number of partners, frequency of intercourse, time of intercourse and sexual life-style the evidence suggests that those variables have a significant role in the development of PID. It is important to assess PID in the context of all its risk factors, including sexual behavior, race, prior history of PID and IUD use.