Womens health issues such as Urinary tract infections are a very serious problem, but most women do not think they are that serious a problem. Urinary tract infections are also often called UTIs.

UTIs are a serious health problem and millions of people are affected each year. As a matter of fact,this infection is the second most common infection in the human body. Around Twenty percent of women develop a UTI during their lifetime as they are in general more prone to UTIs than men.

A very important component to maintaining human health is the kidneys and bladder which are located within the urinary system. Their main function is to remove any waste and all excess liquid from the blood and transform it into Urine.

The kidneys produce a hormone that is used in the formation of red blood cells. The end result of this is that a stable balance of minerals and salts are maintained in the blood.

Waste products are transported out of the human body with the aid of channels which are located both between the kidney and the bladder as well as to the outside.

In general, urine is sterile and causes no infections, but sometimes there are bacteria that get into the urinary tract system and there they can multiply rapidly.

When bacteria multiply, an infection can occur. The infection can start in any of the different parts of the urinary system. An infection in the bladder is called bladder infection or cystitis.

The ureter and bladder prevent urine from backing up into the kidneys and the urine flow from the bladder remove bacteria from the body.These components of the urinary system are designed in such a way to fight or prevent the more severe infections. But despite having these components infections can still occur.

Women should know that if they had three urinary tract infections, they are likely to have more, ninety percent of women get another one within 18 months. Should you have frequent urinary tract infections, you can ask your physician for low dosage antibiotics that can be taken up to half a year at a time.

Talk to your doctor about taking a single dose of antibiotic after intercourse or taking a short amount of antibiotics when symptoms occur.

Dipsticks detect 90 percent of all urinary tract infections when used with the first urine sample after waking up. These are readily available over the counter now. This will save you time having to visit your doctor all the time and will also let you know if you have an infection or not.

Steps to prevent further UTIs or to reduce the risk of having another one within a short amount of time are also useful for woman. Such steps include drinking big amount of water every day. Urinate whenever you have the urge, do not hold it in for long periods of time.

A simple way to help prevent an infection in the urinary tract system is to always wipe from front to back after using the toilet. This prevents bacteria from the anus area from entering the vaginal area.

It is also recommended to shower instead of taking tub baths. Water in the tub stays to long around your urinary system and therefore can spread easily. Another womens health issues tip is a very important one and that is to cleanse the genital area before you have intercourse. This reduces the amount of bacteria entering your system.

Soaps and douches as well as other feminine hygiene products can irritate the urethra area and should therefore also be avoided or reduced.

Here is another womens health issues tip, it is important to know that UTIs in pregnant women need to be treated instantly. Urinary Tract infections in pregnant women can lead to premature delivery of the baby and also high blood pressure. Since not all antibiotics are safe to be used during pregnancy, the treatment is a little harder than for a regular UTI.