Is early vaginal sexual behavior associated with the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease: An analysis based on NHANES

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), also referred to as pelvic inflammatory disorder, is a group of inflammatory conditions affecting the upper female reproductive tract and its surrounding tissues, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvic peritoneum. The incidence of PID is ubiquitous among young sexually active women, and is rare among women who are not sexually active. However, there is a lack of relevant cross-sectional studies about this. Data in this study were collected and screened from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2013 to 2016. The variables were extracted from interviews and compared between the age of first sexual experience and the PID. The data was analyzed by weighted multivariate logistic regression. After excluding individuals who were not eligible and had invalid data, we finally identified 3437 participants for inclusion in this study. We found a positive association between the age of first sexual experience and the PID (P < .05). In conclusion, a positive correlation between the age of first sexual experience and PID was found. The results can help us developing more effective strategies to prevent and manage both of these important health issues. Our findings provide a better understanding to improve young female adolescents' correct understanding of premature sexual behavior and advise them against engaging in it prematurely.