Female Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Gender words are used here to talk about anatomy and health risk. Please use this information in a way that works best for you and your doctor as you talk about your care.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused by bacteria. These bacteria enter the urinary tract. The bacteria may come from inside the body. Or they may travel from the skin outside the rectum or vagina into the urethra. Female anatomy makes it easy for bacteria from the bowel to enter a woman's urinary tract. This is the most common source of UTI. This means women develop UTIs more often than men.

Pain in or around the urinary tract is a common UTI symptom.

Most UTIs are treated with antibiotics. These kill the bacteria. The length of time you need to take them depends on the type of infection. It may be as short as 3 days. If you have repeated UTIs, you may need a low-dose antibiotic for several months. Take antibiotics exactly as directed. Don't stop taking them until all of the medicine is gone. If you stop taking the antibiotic too soon, the infection may not go away. You may also develop a resistance to the antibiotic. This can make it much harder to treat in the future.

Lifestyle changes may help get rid of your UTI. They may also help prevent future UTIs.

• Drink plenty of fluids. This includes water, juice, or other caffeine-free drinks. Fluids help flush bacteria out of your body.
• Empty your bladder. Always empty your bladder when you feel the urge to pee. And always pee before going to sleep. Urine that stays in your bladder can lead to infection. Try to pee after sex as well.
• Practice good personal hygiene. Wipe yourself from front to back after using the toilet. This helps keep bacteria from getting into the urethra.
• Use condoms during sex. These help prevent UTIs caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. Also don't use spermicides during sex. These can increase the risk for UTIs. Choose other forms of birth control instead. For women who tend to get UTIs after sex, a low dose of a preventive antibiotic may be used. Be sure to discuss this choice with your doctor.
• Try holistic supplements, such as cranberry tablets. These may help prevent UTIs.
• Ask your doctor about topical vaginal estrogen. This may help prevent UTIs if you have gone through menopause.

Follow up with your doctor as directed. A test may be done to make sure the infection has cleared. If needed, more treatment may be started.

Contact your doctor right away if you have:

• Frequent urination.
• Pain or burning when passing urine.
• A fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by your doctor.
• Urine looks dark, cloudy, or reddish in color. This may mean that blood is in the urine.
• Urine that smells bad.
• Pain even when not urinating.
• Tiredness.
• Pain in the belly (abdomen) area below the bellybutton, or in the back or side below the ribs.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Have a strong urge to urinate but only a small amount of urine is passed.
• Uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone.
• Confusion or you feel very tired (in older adults).