The One Thing Women Should Always Do After Having Sex

Ladies, in case you missed it, there's one thing you should always do after sex, and if you don't, you could be seriously putting your health at risk. What is it, we hear you ask? Peeing, of course. Here's why. 

As Dr. Frederick Naftolin, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University, sex increases the risk of UTIs (urinary tract infections). "When people have intercourse or even foreplay, the rubbing around the urethra inflames it, and it begins to secrete lubricants and fluids as a response — and those fluids then are good conduits for the bacteria to get up there," he explained to Insider. 

Dr. Alan B. Copperman, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and vice chairman of the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, agreed, noting to SELF, "Sex is often associated with UTIs because sexual intercourse introduces bacteria [from the anus] to the urethra and into the urinary tract."

And that's where peeing comes in. The reason doctors advise peeing after sex is to flush out this bacteria and lower the risk of infection. As  Dr. Angela Jones of AskDrAngela.com told Refinery29, "Flushing it out via urinating helps eliminate bacteria from the urethra before it can gain entry into the bladder, hence, causing UTIs." But that's not the only thing you can do to prevent a UTI.

"Increasing your water intake (and then expelling said water) helps flush the system of bacteria and keeps it from sitting in the bladder and accumulating," Dr. Jessica Shepherd, founder of Her Viewpoint, told Greatist. "Proper hygiene, like always wiping front to back after using the bathroom, can help keep bacteria at bay as well," she continued. 

Ultimately, this is a small ask considering they can save you from infection (and the discomfort of a UTI). Realistically, you should be doing these things anyway!