Women are definitely much more prone to get bladder infections than men are. Urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis is the medical name for a bladder infection. The reason females get these infections more than males is that the tube that drains the bladder, called the urethra, is much shorter in women than in men. This allows bacteria to get up this tube more easily in women and set up house in the bladder.

There are other things that may predispose certain women to this problem more than others may. Anything that hampers complete drainage the bladder can also create an opportunity for bacteria to congregate in the bladder. After intercourse, swelling in the area of the vagina can limit flow out. This can result in what we call "honeymoon cystitis." It is a good idea to urinate after sexual activity to drain the bladder and wash any bacteria out of the urethra that may be present. If a woman get recurrent UTIs, and has had a negative evaluation by a urologist, I will sometimes prescribe and antibiotic to take after sexual activity. Diaphragms, if they don’t fit correctly can predispose to UTIs. You should be refitted after pregnancies and after significant changes in weight. Of course most women have been taught from their youth to wipe away from the vagina after a bowel movement, this decreases contamination of the vagina with colon flora that can lead to UTIs.

Women, who are pregnant, have high levels of a hormone called progesterone. Progesterone weakens the muscles that constrict the urethra, which allows bacteria to sneak up into the bladder more easily. The bladder itself is somewhat weaker in pregnancy and may not drain as well. Also, with increased urine production in pregnancy a woman may be more likely to delay emptying their bladder at work or while driving; and this gives bacteria more time to multiply in the stagnant urine.