It was said that one of the ways to avoid urinary tract infection was to go to the toilet and urinate immediately after sex. It turned out that there wasn’t a lot of evidence to support this idea. There is surprisingly little research on the question of whether the oft-repeated advice really works. One study found that it doesn’t seem to make a difference overall. But that’s just one study, and the results didn’t point strongly in either direction.
IS IT ESSENTIAL TO GO TO THE TOILET AFTER SEX?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not include going to the bathroom after sex in their urinary tract infection prevention tips. Here are their recommendations…
- Wash the skin around the anus and genital area.
- Drink plenty of fluids (including water) to flush out bacteria from your urinary system.
- Empty your bladder as soon as you feel the urge, or about every two to three hours.
RISKS FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTION
It is stated that factors such as being pregnant, having diabetes or going through menopause can increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Some people are prone to it. If you’ve had a urinary tract infection before, your chances of getting one again are higher than if you’ve never had one.
However, if you’re going to the bathroom after sex, you don’t need to break this habit. While there is no conclusive proof that it helps, there is no conclusive proof that it hurts or even is useless.
DOES GOING TO THE TOILET AFTER SEX WORK?
There are two myths mixed up in the advice to go to the bathroom after sex. Going to the bathroom after sex does not prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
When it comes to preventing pregnancy, sperm goes to the vagina, not the urethra. These two holes are close together, but they’re not the same thing, and the pee coming out of your urethra has no effect on what’s going on in your vagina, cervix, or womb.
Urinating after sex has not been found to have a significant effect on your risk of contracting HIV, chlamydia, herpes, or other sexually transmitted infections.