Question
Does menopause cause increased urinary tract infections? It seems like I'm getting more of them now that I'm older.
Answer
Women are most at risk for urinary tract infections after menopause because of the changes in hormones that occur after menopause.
The tissues of the vagina and outer urethra are affected by the lack of estrogen in the postmenopausal female. The decline in estrogen causes a thinning of the tissue as well as an alteration in the pH of the tissue. Both of these alterations can reduce the body's ability to resist infection.
Studies have shown that replacement of estrogen with vaginal estrogen cream may be one way to reduce urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women.