Urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections (PDF, 97 KB)
Urinary tract
Image source: The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC)
Urinary tract infections (PDF, 97 KB)
Urinary tract
Image source: The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC)
Enter a city, ZIP code (such as 20002), address, state, or place
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused by bacteria (germs) that get into the bladder, which is part of the urinary tract. UTIs are also called bladder infections. UTIs are common, especially in women. More than half of women will have at least one UTI at some point in life.1 UTIs are serious and often painful. But most UTIs are easy to treat with antibiotics.
UTIs can happen anywhere in the urinary system (which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). UTIs are most common in the bladder. A UTI in the bladder is called cystitis. Infections in the bladder can spread to the upper part of the urinary tract or the kidneys. A UTI in the kidneys is called pyelonephritis or "pyelo."
Women get UTIs up to 30 times more often than men do.2 Also, as many as 4 in 10 women who get a UTI will get at least one more within six months.3
Women get UTIs more often because a woman's urethra (the tube from the bladder to where the urine comes out of the body) is shorter than a man's. This makes it easier for bacteria to get into the bladder. A woman's urethral opening is also closer to both the vagina and the anus, the main source of germs such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) that cause UTIs.4
Yes. You may be at greater risk for a UTI if you:1,5
If you have a UTI, you may have some or all of these symptoms:6,7
UTIs are caused by bacteria or, rarely, yeast getting into your urinary tract. Once there, they multiply and cause inflammation (swelling) and pain. You can help prevent UTIs by wiping from front to back after using the bathroom. Learn other ways to help prevent UTIs.
To find out whether you have a UTI, your doctor or nurse will test a clean sample of your urine. This means you will first wipe your genital area with a special wipe. Then you will collect your urine in midstream in a cup. Your doctor or nurse may then test your urine for bacteria to see whether you have a UTI, which can take a few days.
If you have had a UTI before, your doctor may order more tests to rule out other problems. These tests may include:
UTIs are treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. You may feel better in one or two days. Make sure to finish taking all of the antibiotics as prescribed, even if you feel better after a day or two.
If treated right away, a UTI is not likely to damage your urinary tract. But if your UTI is not treated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and other parts of your body. The most common symptoms of kidney infection are fever and pain in the back where the kidneys are located. Antibiotics can also treat kidney infections.
Sometimes the infection can get in the bloodstream. This is rare but life-threatening.
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy raise your risk for UTIs. UTIs during pregnancy are more likely to spread to the kidneys.
If you're pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI, see your doctor or nurse right away. Your doctor will give you an antibiotic that is safe to take during pregnancy.
If left untreated, UTIs could lead to kidney infections and problems during pregnancy, including:
You can take steps to help prevent a UTI. But you may follow these steps and still get a UTI.
Maybe. Studies on whether cranberry juice or products prevent or treat UTIs show mixed results.
Cranberries may help prevent bacteria from attaching to cells in the wall of the urinary tract and causing infection. If you get recurrent UTIs, talk to your doctor or nurse about taking cranberry products to prevent UTIs.
Women who get two UTIs in six months or three in a year have recurrent UTIs.3 Your doctor or nurse might do tests to find out why. If the test results are normal, you may need to take a small dose of antibiotics every day to prevent infection. Your doctor may also give you a supply of antibiotics to take after sex or at the first sign of infection.9
For more information about UTIs, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
Urinary tract infections (PDF, 97 KB)
Urinary tract
Image source: The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC)
Enter a city, ZIP code (such as 20002), address, state, or place
To receive Publications email updates
The Office on Women's Health is grateful for the medical review in 2017 by:
Tamara G. Bavendam, M.D., M.S., Senior Scientific Officer and Program Director, Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Andrew Hundley, M.D., Division Director of the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: April 01, 2019.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused by bacteria (germs) that get into the bladder, which is part of the urinary tract. UTIs are also called bladder infections. UTIs are common, especially in women. More than half of women will have at least one UTI at some point in life.1 UTIs are serious and often painful. But most UTIs are easy to treat with antibiotics.
UTIs can happen anywhere in the urinary system (which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). UTIs are most common in the bladder. A UTI in the bladder is called cystitis. Infections in the bladder can spread to the upper part of the urinary tract or the kidneys. A UTI in the kidneys is called pyelonephritis or "pyelo."
Women get UTIs up to 30 times more often than men do.2 Also, as many as 4 in 10 women who get a UTI will get at least one more within six months.3
Women get UTIs more often because a woman's urethra (the tube from the bladder to where the urine comes out of the body) is shorter than a man's. This makes it easier for bacteria to get into the bladder. A woman's urethral opening is also closer to both the vagina and the anus, the main source of germs such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) that cause UTIs.4
Yes. You may be at greater risk for a UTI if you:1,5
If you have a UTI, you may have some or all of these symptoms:6,7
UTIs are caused by bacteria or, rarely, yeast getting into your urinary tract. Once there, they multiply and cause inflammation (swelling) and pain. You can help prevent UTIs by wiping from front to back after using the bathroom. Learn other ways to help prevent UTIs.
To find out whether you have a UTI, your doctor or nurse will test a clean sample of your urine. This means you will first wipe your genital area with a special wipe. Then you will collect your urine in midstream in a cup. Your doctor or nurse may then test your urine for bacteria to see whether you have a UTI, which can take a few days.
If you have had a UTI before, your doctor may order more tests to rule out other problems. These tests may include:
UTIs are treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. You may feel better in one or two days. Make sure to finish taking all of the antibiotics as prescribed, even if you feel better after a day or two.
If treated right away, a UTI is not likely to damage your urinary tract. But if your UTI is not treated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and other parts of your body. The most common symptoms of kidney infection are fever and pain in the back where the kidneys are located. Antibiotics can also treat kidney infections.
Sometimes the infection can get in the bloodstream. This is rare but life-threatening.
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy raise your risk for UTIs. UTIs during pregnancy are more likely to spread to the kidneys.
If you're pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI, see your doctor or nurse right away. Your doctor will give you an antibiotic that is safe to take during pregnancy.
If left untreated, UTIs could lead to kidney infections and problems during pregnancy, including:
You can take steps to help prevent a UTI. But you may follow these steps and still get a UTI.
Maybe. Studies on whether cranberry juice or products prevent or treat UTIs show mixed results.
Cranberries may help prevent bacteria from attaching to cells in the wall of the urinary tract and causing infection. If you get recurrent UTIs, talk to your doctor or nurse about taking cranberry products to prevent UTIs.
Women who get two UTIs in six months or three in a year have recurrent UTIs.3 Your doctor or nurse might do tests to find out why. If the test results are normal, you may need to take a small dose of antibiotics every day to prevent infection. Your doctor may also give you a supply of antibiotics to take after sex or at the first sign of infection.9
For more information about UTIs, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
This content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.
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