Why UTIs Increase Post Menopause and What You Can Do About It

Hot flashes. Mood changes. Bad sleep. There are so many things that make menopause unpleasant.

Once you get past that year-long period, you might be ready to breathe a sigh of relief. But life post-menopause often comes with its own challenges, including an increased risk of urinary tract infections, or UTIs. 

Fortunately, some preventive measures go a long way toward lowering the rate of infection in post-menopausal women. With expertise in UTIs, our all-female team can help you explore your treatment options to find what’s best for you. 

If you’re getting recurring UTIs, come see us at Elite Gynecology in Manhattan, Forest Hills, or Rego Park, New York.

More UTIs after menopause: Blame estrogen

Many of the worst parts of menopause come from dropping estrogen levels. And that hormone is the big culprit here, too. You can blame your increased post-menopausal risk for UTIs on your body’s lower estrogen levels. 

Specifically, estrogen plays two key roles in preventing infections. First, more estrogen supports healthy bacteria in your bladder and vagina. Healthy bacteria fight off bad bacteria that cause UTIs. 

Secondly, as you may already know all too well, estrogen supports elasticity and lubrication in your vagina and urethra. You’re probably well aware of the way lower estrogen impacts your vagina. It takes a toll on your urethra, too. When the tissue in your urethra gets thinner and drier, it’s easier for bacteria to move in. 

All of the blame doesn’t fall on estrogen, though. You can also thank the way your bladder muscles weaken with age. This might make it harder to empty your bladder completely, setting the stage for infection. 

Options for managing chronic UTIs

After menopause, you treat individual UTIs just like you did before menopause: with a round of antibiotics. From there, lifestyle habits play a major role in reducing your chances of another infection. Wipe from front to back, drink lots of water, try to pee after sex, and keep the area clean and dry whenever possible. 

If UTIs continue to recur, we work with you to add additional strategies to help prevent future infections.

For some women, vaginal estrogen does the trick. This is additional estrogen you add locally (usually through a cream, tablet, or ring). By increasing the estrogen in your vaginal and urethral tissue, you help offset the risk factors we outlined above. 

In other cases, we might strategically deploy antibiotics. Some women keep UTIs at bay by taking an antibiotic after each time they have sex. 

Others get the best results with a daily, low-dose antibiotic. Or, we can apply alternative medication like methenamine hippurate.

Fortunately, you have no shortage of options for fending off recurrent UTIs after menopause. To work with our team to find the right treatment for you, call Elite Gynecology or book an appointment online today.