UTI in young women on rise

Chennai: Be it at government or any private hospital, young women with urinary tract infection - the fourth main reason for outpatient visits among adolescent girls -  are always waiting in a line outside the gynaecology or urology departments.

“There is a definite rise in the number of adolescent girls developing UTI in Tamil Nadu,” said Dr S. Sampathkumari, chairperson, Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) - adolescent committee. As per 2015 reports, it was found that young women have 30 times more prevalence of UTI than young men. It was also found that UTI increases with age.

“Most students from other states feel embarrassed to use public toilets around the city. They prefer to wait till they return home or to their hostels to use the toilet,” said Dr Gayatri.

Dr Rajapriya Ayappan, a member of FOGSI, said that it is a civic responsibility to maintain toilets as most adolescent girls hold their urine for hours together. Lack of water consumption is considered one of the main contributors to infection.
“It is mostly prevalent among school and college going girls who drink less water so as to avoid using public toilets. Parents should train their daughters to drink more water,” said Dr Uthuveeramani, head and senior consultant, urology department, SIMS Hospital.

“The infection can ascend from the urethra to the kidney, causing severe kidney infection. Drinking plenty of water can avoid such problems,” said a nephrologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

Preethy S, a final year undergraduate student, spoke out for many young girls her age, “When I am out with my friends, I look out for a mall or a restaurant in the vicinity to use the restroom. Public toilets are too unhygienic and I feel like throwing up due to the smell.”

“Many young girls tend to wear their tight-fitting jeans without washing, not realizing the danger,” stressed urologist Dr Prathima M. Wearing tight-fitting pants can trap moisture and lead to repeated attacks of UTI, she explained.
Dr Rajapriya stressed on the need for young girls to ensure that they are well hydrated and maintain hygiene. Expressing a word of caution, she said, “With the heat getting worse by the day, young girls should drink a lot of water.”