Bladder

Due to a combination of reasons including changes in the vaginal microbiome due to the decreased amount of estrogen in the vagina, women may find themselves experiencing bladder infections again, but there are treatment options for prevention.

True, our bodies change over the years and multiple factors may contribute to urinary leakage including childbirth, hormonal changes, and/or pelvic floor weakness. However, leaking urine is not something women need to tolerate.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is the presence of bothersome urinary symptoms including urinary urgency, usually accompanied with frequency during the day and night with or without urgency incontinence. OAB effects between 9-43% of women and consistently more common in women than men and increases with age. OAB may wax and wane, but the majority of patients experience the symptoms for years (AUA/SUFU for Non-neurogenic OAB Guideline in Adults, 2019).

Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) with vaginal estrogen cream can be key to fighting urinary tract infections in peri and postmenopausal women.

As women lose their power house estrogen source with decreasing ovulation, they begin to lose out on the benefits of estrogen's role in the vagina and experience GSM.  Estrogen helps with maturation of epithelial cells, accumulation of glycogen which in turn through chemical reactions becomes lactic acid creating an environment just right for lactobacilli (good bacteria) which have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that in addition to the epithelial mucosa are a barrier to invading pathogens.  As you can see estrogen in just the right spot used on a regular basis a few times per week can have a significant impact on urogenital health.