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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffSome people appear to be more likely than are others to develop urinary tract infections. Risk factors include:
- Being female. Urinary tract infections are very common in women, and many women will experience more than one. A key reason is their anatomy. Women have a shorter urethra, which cuts down on the distance bacteria must travel to reach the bladder.
- Being sexually active. Women who are sexually active tend to have more urinary tract infections than women who aren't sexually active.
- Using certain types of birth control. Women who use diaphragms for birth control also may be at higher risk, as may women who use spermicidal agents.
- Undergoing menopause. After menopause, urinary tract infections may become more common because the lack of estrogen causes changes in the urinary tract that make it more vulnerable to infection.
- Having urinary tract abnormalities. Babies born with urinary tract abnormalities that don't allow urine to leave the body or cause urine to back up in the urethra have an increased risk of urinary tract infections.
- Having blockages in the urinary tract. Kidney stones or an enlarged prostate can trap urine in the bladder and increase the risk of urinary tract infection.
- Having a suppressed immune system. Diabetes and other diseases that impair the immune system — the body's defense against germs — can increase the risk of urinary tract infections.
- Using a catheter to urinate. People who can't urinate on their own and use a tube (catheter) to urinate have an increased risk of urinary tract infections. This may include people who are hospitalized, people with neurological problems that make it difficult to control their ability to urinate and people who are paralyzed.
References
- Schaeffer AJ, et al. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202281144-2/0/1445/0.html. Accessed May 21, 2010.
- Urinary tract infections in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/index.htm. Accessed May 21, 2010.
- Lentz GM. Urogynecology: Physiology of micturition, diagnosis of voiding dysfunction, and incontinence: Surgical and nonsurgical treatment. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-2/0/1524/0.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Urinary tract infections in children. UrologyHealth.org. http://www.urologyhealth.org/pediatric/index.cfm?cat=07&topic=146. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- McPherson RA, et al. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, et al. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 21st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-4/0/1393/0.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Hooton TM. Recurrent urinary tract infection in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Guay DRP. Cranberry and urinary tract infections. Drugs. 2009;69:775.
- Cranberry. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Jepson RG, et al. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2008;CD001321.
- Coumadin (prescribing information). Princeton, N.J.: Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2010. http://www.coumadin.com/for_hcp.aspx. Accessed May 26, 2010.
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