Question: I am a married woman whose husband is often away on extended trips. It seems like every time I have sex after a break I get a urinary tract or bladder infection. What causes this, and what can I do to prevent it? My doctor keeps prescribing antibiotics which work, but can I do anything to prevent it in the first place?
Answer: Honeymoon cystitis gets it name because the frequency of urination and pain and discomfort that follows with the urination occurs after each episode of sexual intercourse. The inflammation of the base of the bladder is attributed to the ascending infection from the inflamed pee hole which occurs during rapid penile thrust to that area. In most cases the episode of cystitis usually disappears as the pee hole area is more resilient to the penile assault. In case where sexual intercourse is not frequent, the pee hole is is no longer resilient and can get inflamed and cause ascending infection that may flare up as a urinary tract infection. In such event urinary antibiotics are usually prescribed by the doctor. There were some suggestions that may remedy this incessant problem. One is to pee after each episode of love making. This might interfere with the pooling of semen in the vaginal pool, for the purpose of planning for a baby. Another way is to ensure that penile trust is not directed to the pee hole, in other words to change position or assume a position that may prevent direct assault of the penis to the pee hole area.