5 Effective Urinary Tract Infection Prevention Strategies for Women

To call urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women common is a bit of an understatement. Consider this — between 50% and 80% of women develop at least one UTI during their lives, and 30% to 40% of women experience recurrent infections.

In fact, UTIs are so common that they’re the most common reason for outpatient visits in the United States.

While the skilled team of healthcare providers at Michigan Avenue Primary Care enjoys seeing our patients, we’d prefer you didn’t have to visit us for a urinary tract infection. With that goal in mind, we want to discuss some effective prevention strategies here.

Why women are so prone to UTIs

Let’s first shed some light on why women are more prone to UTIs than men, which really comes down to anatomy.

To start, the opening of the female urethra is very close to the anus, which is where digestive waste comes out. This proximity can lead to cross-contamination as digestive bacteria — namely E. coli — make their way over to the urethral opening and gain access to your urinary tract.

Another anatomical difference is that a woman’s urethra is much shorter than a man’s, so bacteria only need to make a short trip to the bladder.

Keeping UTIs at bay

Now that we understand the role that anatomy plays, some of our prevention best practices will make more sense, and these include:

1. Better genital hygiene when going to the bathroom

One of the first things women should do is always wipe from front to back, never the other way around, which can spread potentially harmful bacteria.

2. Urinating after sex

Sexual intercourse can spread bacteria, so you must urinate promptly after sex to flush any bacteria out.

3. Using hormone creams after menopause

When women pass through menopause and estrogen levels drop, they’re more at risk for UTIs. This is because estrogen helps keep the vaginal environment balanced with protective bacteria. Without these good bacteria, it’s easier for harmful bacteria to invade and create infections.

The best way to combat this is through topical estrogen creams that restore a better balance of bacteria that can fight off infection.

4. Drink plenty of fluids

The more you flush out your lower urinary tract, the better, so keep the fluids going — you want your pee to be a very light yellow, not darker.

5. Take cranberry supplements

A more natural approach to preventing UTIs is through cranberry juice or cranberry supplements. Cranberries contain D-mannose and proanthocyanidins that may prevent bacteria from binding to the linings in your lower urinary tract.

If you still develop a UTI despite your best efforts, then we will be happy to see you for a quick urinalysis. If we find that you have a UTI, we can prescribe a course of antibiotics that should work quickly to clear the infection.

For expert diagnosis and care for your UTI, please contact our Chicago clinic, located in The Loop, to schedule a visit.