If you are an adult woman, there’s a 50-60% chance you have had or will get a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) in your lifetime. If you’re sexually active, that increases your chances, it being the major risk factor for younger women. That’s one out of every two of us.
The question is why does this happen?
Let’s look at the science, the female urethra is much shorter than its male counterpart making it a. lot more susceptible to bacteria entering and colonizing where it shouldn’t. The majority of UTI’s are caused by the E. coli bacteria that are naturally present in the digestive tract.
During sexual activity, bacteria from your partner’s genitals, anus, fingers or sex toys can get pushed into your urethra allowing the bacteria to make a home and causing you discomfort.
What do I do about it?
Good news is that you can greatly reduce the risk. Steps to take to avoid getting a UTI are peeing directly after sexual activity to flush out your urinary tract, always wiping front to back to avoid pushing the bad bacteria into your urethra, cleaning your sex toys after each use, having your partner wash their hands before engaging in your fun and sleeping in breathable clothes (if you wear any at all) to maintain air circulation and avoid a moist area.
If you are experiencing recurrent UTI’s it’s a good idea to seek treatment from a Naturopathic Doctor to find the underlying cause of your problem. I would be happy to help!
DOI: 10.1177/1756287219832172