Urinary Tract Infections in Teens and Adults - What Increases Your Risk
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
Risk factors in women
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most common in young to middle-aged sexually active women. Things that increase a woman's risk of getting UTIs include:
- Sexual activity, which pushes bacteria intothe urethra. Sexual activity with the use of a diaphragm and spermicide raisesthe risk.
- Pregnancy.
- PreviousUTIs.
- Use of feminine hygiene products that containdeodorant.
- Lack ofestrogen, which allows bacteria that can cause UTIs togrow more easily in thevagina orurethra. Women who have gone throughmenopause are at increased risk for UTIs.
Risk factors in men
Things that increase a man's risk of UTIs include:
- Problems with theprostate gland. Men become increasingly prone to UTIsas they get older because of prostate problems, such as enlarged prostate(benign prostatic hyperplasia) andprostatitis.
- An uncircumcisedpenis.
- Anal intercourse.
- Unprotected sex with a womanwho has a vaginal infection.
- HIV infection.
Risk factors in both women and men
Certain risk factors apply to both women and men. These include:
- Not drinking enough fluids. Drinking morefluids causes increased urination, reducing bacteria in the urinary tract andbladder.
- Having acatheter in place. Bacteria can enter the catheter and start an infection. Most at risk areolder adults who are in hospitals or who live in long-term care facilities.
- Kidney stones and other obstructions in the urinarytract. These may block the flow of urine, raising the risk of bacterialinfection.
- Diabetes. People with diabetes are atgreater risk for UTIs because their immune systems are weakened. Also,long-term high blood sugar can damage the kidneys' filtering system (diabetic nephropathy).
- Structural problemsof the urinary tract. These may be present at birth or develop later inlife.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 16, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology | |
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