If there is an infection in any part of the urinary system, including kidneys, uterus, urethra, and bladder, it is known as urinary tract infection or UTI. The risk of UTI is more in women as compared to men. While the infection can be painful when it is restricted to the bladder, there can be serious consequences if it spreads to the kidneys.

Here are some of the common causes of UTI:

Causes
There are two main causes of UTI.

1. Cystitis or infection of the bladder
Usually, E. coli or Escherichia coli is the main cause of this kind of infection, although sometimes other kinds of bacteria can cause cystitis as well. E. coli is commonly found in the GI or gastrointestinal tract. One of the main causes of cystitis is sexual activity. However, it is not necessary that one has to be sexually active to develop this infection. Women at large are at risk of developing the infection because of the closeness between the urethra, anus, and bladder’s urethral opening.

2. Urethritis or infection of the urethra
When GI bacteria reach the urethra from the anus, it can cause urethritis. Several sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea, herpes, mycoplasma, and chlamydia can cause urethritis because of the short distance between the urethra and vagina.

Risk factors
Some of the commonly known risk factors of UTI are listed below:

1. Gender
As stated earlier, women are at a greater risk of getting UTI in comparison to men. This happens because the size of the urethra is shorter in women, which makes it easier for bacteria to infect the bladder. In addition, the opening to the urethra and rectum, where UTI-causing bacteria are known to exist, are comparatively closer in women.

2. Pregnancy
There are multiple changes in the urinary tract during pregnancy, and there are chances that this could give rise to UTI. The infection is more common between weeks 6 and 24. It is commonly believed that as the size and weight of the uterus increase during pregnancy, complete drainage of urine from the bladder is obstructed, which might increase the chances of UTI.

3. Menopause
Certain hormonal changes during menopause may result in UTI. Thus, age also becomes a common risk factor among women for the occurrence of UTI.

4. Health conditions
Several health conditions increase the risk of urinary tract infection, and some of these conditions are associated with conditions like diabetes that harm the immunity of an individual. Furthermore, there are certain conditions linked to age such as Alzheimer’s disease that can also raise an alarm for UTI. Other people who should be cautious of urinary tract infections include those with spinal cord injury near the bladder, people with kidney stones, and those having other irregularities in the urinary tract. All of these conditions impact the flow from the bladder and thus increase the chances of bacteria growth.