UTI Risk Factors

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

03 Jan 2007 06:51 PM

In general, women are more prone to urinary tract infections than men are. This is because the urethra -- the tube that runs from the bladder to the outside of the body -- is much shorter in women than in men. Also, a woman's urethra is closer to the anus, increasing the chance that bacteria from the colon can end up in the urinary tract.

This doesn't mean a man can't have a urinary tract infection! A urinary tract infection in a man is often a sign of an underlying problem -- the infection may have migrated from the prostate gland or another part of the body. A urinary tract infection may also indicate a tumor or other kind of obstruction.

Who is at risk for a UTI?

• People with conditions that affect the nerves of the bladder -- like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries.
• Elderly men
• Elderly women
• Pregnant women
• Women whose mothers had recurring UTIs
• People who have had urinary tract obstructions -- like tumors, kidney stones, or an enlarged prostate
• Women who use a contraceptive diaphragm
• Women who use spermicidal agents for contraception -- these can promote bacterial growth by changing the vaginal environment
• People who use a catheter
• Men who have not been circumcised
• People with HIV infection

These risk factors can also increase the chance of your bladder infection becoming something more serious! An infection in the urinary tract can progress quickly to a serious kidney infection or an infection in the bloodstream (sepsis). Sepsis can affect multiple organs throughout the body.

Pregnant women with urinary tract infections have a greater chance of delivering their babies prematurely.

Children who have chronic kidney and bladder infections may have a structural abnormality. This allows a reflux of urine from the bladder back into the kidneys, causing infection.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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