Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Welcome to menopause, enjoy your UTI

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections women will experience, but did you know that postmenopausal women are 55% more likely to develop a UTI? Hormones play a key role in the prevalence of UTIs among this group of women. With age comes estrogen loss, which results in thinner tissue and weaker muscles in the urethra and vagina. Add in the lower levels of healthy bacteria from estrogen loss, and there’s a potential breeding ground for harmful bacteria to multiply. About 20-36% of postmenopausal women will suffer with recurrent UTIs, which is two or more UTIs in a 6-month period or three or more in a year. Learn more about menopause and UTIs.