Can Women Have Sex When You Have a UTI?
A urinary tract infection can range from painful to simply annoying. Whatever your symptoms, is it safe to have sex with UTI?
Women who suffer from an infection and still want to maintain intimacy with their partner wonder: can you have sex with UTI? Urinary tract infections can make intimacy uncomfortable and sometimes risky. There’s also a possible connection between urinary tract infection and sex.
Is It Safe to Have Sex When You Have a UTI?
It’s generally recommended that women with a UTI avoid sex but how safe is it to have sex with a UTI? What are the concerns for women who have recurring UTIs? How do you satisfy intimacy needs with a UTI?
This article by the Pelvic Awareness Project explains whether sex is safe during a UTI, how it can impact symptoms, and why waiting until the infection clears may be best. The article also explores ways to stay connected with a partner while prioritizing healing and preventing reinfection.
Do I Have a UTI?
A urinary tract infection or UTI is an infection of any part of your urinary system, which includes the bladder, urethra, kidneys, and ureters. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract, which means the bladder and the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
- A burning sensation when you pee.
- A strong urge to pee that doesn’t go away after you go to the bathroom.
- Peeing often and passing only small amounts of pee.
- Funny colored urine, like red, pink, or cola-colored pee.
- Pelvic pain, most often in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone.
A UTI Can Be Dangerous
Signs can vary depending on the location of the infection. For instance, if it spreads to the kidneys, symptoms can be much worse, including high fever, chills, shaking, and even nausea and vomiting.
It’s important to see a doctor if you have signs of a UTI. Left untreated, a UTI can cause serious complications. A UTI that spreads to the kidneys, for example, can lead to life-threatening sepsis.1
Use the Pelvic Awareness Project’s Physician Finder to find a doctor near you with expertise in women’s health, so you can receive a diagnosis and treatment for a UTI before it becomes serious.
If you want to know more about symptoms and treatment of a urinary tract infection, review this look at everything you need to know about UTIs.
Women and UTIs
Both men and women can have a UTI, but women are at greater risk because we have a shorter urethra. As a result, it’s easier for bacteria to travel up to the bladder. Menopause leads to low estrogen levels, which changes our vaginal and urethral tissues and further increases our risk of infection.
If you do suffer from a UTI, you’re not alone. This is the most common infection for women in the United States:
- About 40% of women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime.2
- One in 10 postmenopausal women had a UTI in the last year.2
- Multiple infections are also common, with about half of women getting a second infection within a year.2
Worldwide, the number of women suffering from a UTI in their lifetime may be higher, up to 60%.3 While you might hope your UTI will go away on its own, infections with symptoms will rarely do so.2 Usually, UTIs are easily and quickly treated with antibiotics.
Sex With a UTI
If you’ve got a UTI, or you have recurring UTIs, it’s normal to wonder about sex and UTI. Some women don’t experience all the symptoms of a UTI. If your symptoms aren’t bothering you, it’s easy to think it’s OK to resume having intercourse.
However, it’s recommended that you avoid sex with UTI. More bacteria can be pushed into the urethra and then into the bladder, making it harder to clear the infection. In fact, any genital contact can spread harmful bacteria into the urethra. It’s best to hold off on sex with a UTI for a few days, until treatment with antibiotics clears the infection.4
The Connection Between UTI and Sex
If you do have sex with a UTI, can you pass the infection to a man?
In short, NO.
UTIs are not contagious and are not passed between partners by sex or through casual physical contact. UTIs are not considered sexually transmitted infections.
However, sexual activity can increase the risk of a UTI. That’s because intercourse can cause bacteria to get close to or into the urethra. You can lower the risk of a UTI by urinating after intercourse, which removes some of the bacteria.2
How to Prevent UTIs
There are some steps you can take to prevent UTIs or reduce the risk of recurring UTIs.
Here are a few ways to prevent a UTI:5
Good Hygiene
Healthy habits, like always wiping from front to back after a bowel movement, can help keep bacteria out of the urethra. You should also change your products regularly during your period, and avoid using deodorants or other scented products on your vagina.
Drink Plenty of Fluids
A good fluid intake, in particular water, can flush bacteria from your urinary tract.
Proper Peeing Habits
Peeing gets rid of bacteria from your body, so peeing frequently can reduce the risk of a UTI. As mentioned, try to pee right before and right after having sex to flush out any bacteria that may be introduced to your urethra. If you can’t pee, wash the area with warm water.
Change Your Birth Control
Some products may increase the risk of a UTI, such as a diaphragm or spermicide. If you need a lubricant during sex, make sure it’s water-based.
How To Be Intimate with a UTI
If you want to avoid intercourse while you recover from a UTI, there are still ways to remain intimate with your partner. In fact, physical affection may actually boost your sexual relations when your UTI is gone.
Non-sexual touch, such as cuddling or hugging, strengthens the emotional bond between partners that naturally enhances the sexual relationship. In one study, couples who maintain a high level of non-sexual physical affection are more likely to experience long-term sexual satisfaction.6
So try cuddling on the couch, holding hands during a walk, or a few extra hugs while your UTI is being treated, recovery from which shouldn’t take long.
Recovering from a UTI
Don’t leave your urinary tract infection untreated in hopes it will go away. A UTI can become a serious problem and is easily treated. It’s best to refrain from having sex with a UTI until the infection is cleared up.
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, help is available. The Pelvic Awareness Project connects women to trusted providers who specialize in pelvic health.
Find a pelvic health doctor near you with our Physician Finder Tool.
References
3 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3749018/
5 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9135-urinary-tract-infections