How to Prevent a Urinary Tract Infection

UTI might be a woman's least favorite acronym.

Half of all women will get one, and it could be getting worse.

Doctors are running out of antibiotics because the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections are becoming more and more resistant to medicine.

In some cases, they've had to go to extreme lengths, like prescribing four antibiotics because the first three didn't work, or using an IV instead of pills, even asking the FDA for permission to use a medicine that isn't even approved yet.

Make sure you call your doctor before that simple UTI turns into a kidney infection.

Your best bet is to avoid a UTI in the first place by taking a few steps.

Drink lots of water.

Some people swear by cranberry juice.

Don't wait.

Urinate when you need to.

Make sure you wipe from front to back, and always go after you have sex.

And if you do get prescribed antibiotics, make sure you finish all that medicine.

For WebMD, I'm Dr. Michael Smith.