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Women are more likely than men to get UTIs at any age, but older women are more susceptible to bladder infections than younger women. Why? Because of lower estrogen levels. Here’s how menopause sets the stage for UTIs.

Each year in the United States, up to 10 million people — mostly women — develop a urinary tract infection (UTI). As a leading reason for acute care visits to the doctor, UTIs are common, disruptive, and won’t go away without antibiotic treatment. 

Women are more likely than men to develop a UTI at any age. But older women are also more susceptible to UTIs than younger women, particularly following menopause. Sometimes, women who’ve never had a UTI before start experiencing recurrent bladder infections in their post-reproductive years — much to their frustration.  

At New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, our expert team specializes in helping women of all ages get to the bottom of unexplained UTIs and prevent recurrent infections. Here, Dr. Christina Parmar and Dr. Rania Ibrahim explain why UTIs are more common after menopause and what you can do about them.  

Understanding urinary tract infections

UTIs are infections of the urinary system. Most UTIs are lower urinary tract infections that occur when bacteria enter the urethra, travel to the bladder, and begin to multiply. 

By triggering inflammation within the lining of the urinary tract, UTIs can give rise to a wide range of bothersome symptoms, including pelvic pressure and a strong urge to urinate that only produces a small amount of urine. Other common UTI symptoms include:

  • A sudden need to urinate 
  • Frequent urination urges
  • Painful or burning urine flow
  • Urine that appears cloudy 
  • Strong or foul-smelling urine

Depending on the severity of the infection, UTI symptoms may be mild and irritating or painful and intense. A UTI can also cause fatigue, fever, and chills like other infections.   

Why women are more susceptible to UTIs

Men experience UTIs, but only rarely; just over one in 10 men (12%) get a bladder infection at some point. Women, on the other hand, are prone to getting UTIs — about three in five women (60%) have at least one UTI during their lifetime. For one in four women (25%), UTIs are a recurrent problem. 

Why are women more vulnerable to UTIs? 

  1. coli bacteria cause more than 90% of bladder infections in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Women are more susceptible to UTIs because their urethras are shorter and closer to the anus, where these bacteria are common. 

It’s also easier for women to inadvertently introduce this bacteria to their urethras when going to the bathroom or during sexual activity. Not drinking enough water, urinating often enough, and using barrier contraceptives (i.e., diaphragm), spermicide, or oil-based lubricants can also make a UTI more likely.   

Menopause makes UTIs even more likely

Menopause makes UTIs more likely for a very different reason: estrogen loss. As one of your main reproductive hormones, estrogen doesn’t just regulate your menstrual period and make pregnancy possible — it also keeps your vaginal and urethral tissues moist, elastic, and healthy. 

Lower estrogen levels essentially “set the stage” for UTIs by causing: 

Estrogen also promotes higher levels of healthy bacteria that normally live in your vagina and urethra. Lower estrogen levels following menopause also mean having lower levels of healthy bacteria to fight unhealthy bacteria like E. coli.   

It then becomes easier for bacteria to gain access to your urinary system. Once bacteria have entered your urethra, weaker urethral muscles make it easier for them to move up into your bladder and multiply. 

How you can protect your urinary health

Menopause may make it easier for bacteria to infect your lower urinary tract, but that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to experience recurrent UTIs — we have treatment options that can improve your vaginal/urinary health and significantly reduce your UTI risk.   

Vaginal estrogen 

One of the easiest ways to prevent postmenopausal UTIs is with vaginal estrogen, a localized (non-systemic) form of hormone therapy that involves the application or insertion of a vaginal cream, tablet, or ring that contains and releases estrogen. 

With regular use, vaginal estrogen can reverse the tissue changes and bacterial imbalances caused by menopause, helping to normalize your UTI risk. 

Laser therapy 

Many women turn to MonaLisa Touch® laser therapy to help reverse irritating vaginal dryness after menopause. By restoring normal vaginal tissue elasticity, moisture, and function, this simple, noninvasive treatment also effectively protects against UTIs.  

How does it work? Throughout three quick treatment sessions, vaginal laser therapy stimulates the production of fresh collagen, glycogen, and hyaluronic acid to help restore key elements of healthy vaginal and urethral tissue.

Low-dose antibiotics

If you’re already having recurrent UTIs after menopause, we may prescribe “preventive antibiotics.” With this course of action, you may take low-dose antibiotics for six months or longer, or if your UTIs only appear after sex, we might recommend taking a single dose of antibiotics right after intercourse. 

Ready to reduce your postmenopausal UTI risk?  We can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, today.