A risk factor makes the chances of getting a disease or condition higher. You can have a UTI with or without any of those listed below. But the more risks you have, the higher the chances of a UTI.
Talk to your doctor about the steps you need to take to lower your risk.
Being Sexually Active
Having sex makes your risk higher. Also, your chances are higher for having a new partner within the past year.
Health Problems
Your risk is higher if you have certain health problems such as:
Medical Devices and Procedures
Your risk is higher for these:
- Females who use a diaphragm for birth control
- Females who have a partners who use spermicide on a condom
- Having a urinary catheter
- Prior surgery on the urinary tract
Medications
Taking certain medicines can raise the risk of getting a UTI such as:
- Antibiotics
- SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes
Age and Gender
UTIs are more common in women during their lives. This is because the urethra and anus are close together. The urethra is also shorter in women than in men. The risk of goes up even more after menopause in women and after age 50 in men.
Genetics
UTIs tend to run in families. If you have people in your family with the same problems, it makes your risk higher. The link is more common in first-degree relatives such as a mother and daughter.
Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board
Adrienne Carmack, MD
Last Updated: 9/20/2018
