What defines pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is characterized as an infection of the woman's reproductive organs, which encompasses the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. This condition often arises from sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, but can also result from other bacterial infections that spread from the vagina or cervix upwards into the more internal reproductive structures.

Focusing on the other options provides context for understanding why they are not definitive definitions of PID. While an infection of the ovaries is associated with PID, the condition is not limited to just that structure; it involves broader areas of the reproductive system. Similarly, limiting the definition to an infection leading to ectopic pregnancy does not encapsulate the full scope of PID, as not all cases result in ectopic pregnancies. Lastly, an infection limited to the cervix would only describe cervicitis, which is often a part of PID but does not encompass the full disease process impacting the entire reproductive tract. Thus, recognizing that PID includes infections of all major reproductive organs clarifies why it is defined as such.