A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection that begins in your urinary system. This includes your ureters, kidneys, urethra and bladder. In most cases, it affects only your bladder and urethra, and it is a condition that affects more women than men. Certain factors may increase your chances of developing a UTI, and knowing these factors may help prevent this condition from occurring.
Sexual Intercourse
Sexual intercourse is a risk factor affecting women more than men, especially those who have intercourse frequently. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that almost 80 percent of all UTIs in premenopausal women occur within 24 hours of intercourse. The bacteria responsible for the infection is produced during sex, and certain situations tend to increase the risk of developing an infection. These include having sex for the first time, having sex after a prolonged period of time, for women, being on top during intercourse. A UTI is not, however, a sexually transmitted disease.
Being Female
As mentioned earlier, women develop UTIs more frequently than men. In fact nearly half of all women will develop a UTI at some point in their lives, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is because women have a shorter urethra, the tube connected to the bladder that carries the urine. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter the bladder and cause infection.
Menopause
Women who have gone through menopause present a higher risk of developing a UTI because estrogen is lost after this time. The loss of estrogen not only reduces the ability of the urinary tract to fight infection by thinning its walls but also affects the immune system, making it incapable of warding of harmful E. coli when it attempts to adhere itself to the cells of the vagina.
Problems With the Urinary Tract
Dr. Arthur Schoenstadt of eMedTV states that any type of urinary tract abnormality or obstruction, such as an enlarged prostate in men or kidney stones in either gender, can cause a UTI to develop. This is due to the slowdown or complete backup of urinary flow, both of which provide good conditions for bacteria to breed in.
Catheters
For some patients in certain medical situations, catheters are needed as a means of excreting urine. These are tubes that are inserted into the urethra and bladder, allowing for the automatic release of urine. They are most commonly placed in patients who are unconscious, incontinent (cannot control their bladder) or critically ill.
While catheters offer many benefits, they are also a perfect breeding ground for bacteria in both the tubing and the bag. If a catheter is not properly cared for, cleaned and changed on a regular basis, the patient's risk for developing a UTI increases drastically.
