Get the UTI facts Kalota says women should learn to separate facts from fiction about UTIs so they can get adequate treatment. Unlike a sexually transmitted disease, a bladder infection is not contagious. However, sexual intercourse can introduce bacteria into the bladder. Women who use a diaphragm or whose partners use a condom with a spermicidal foam tend to have a higher risk of UTIs. Women should avoid douches, sprays, spermicides and vaginal deodorants, because they are more likely to kill off the good bacteria and leave the bad bacteria,'' Kalota says.
Pregnant women seem more prone to UTIs than other women.
Scientists think that hormonal changes and shifts in the position of the urinary tract during pregnancy make it easier for bacteria to travel up to the ureters to the kidneys. People with diabetes have a higher risk of a UTI because of changes in the immune system. Bacteria on a catheter, or tube placed in the bladder, can cause an infection. Coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol do not cause cystitis. There are several steps you can take to help prevent a bladder infection.