In short

A urinary tract infection (UTI) causes stinging when weeing and a constant urge to go. 

They're very common in girls because of body anatomy, and they often come back. 

Most clear quickly with antibiotics from a doctor. Drinking more and weeing after the toilet helps prevent them. 

Sudden back pain or fever needs urgent medical advice.

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Why does my daughter keep getting UTIs?

A UTI happens when bacteria, usually from the bowel, get into the urinary tract and cause an infection. 

Girls and women get them far more often than boys, simply because the tube that carries wee out of the body (the urethra) is shorter, so bacteria reach the bladder more easily.

They're extremely common. 

More than half of women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime, and once your daughter has had one, another isn't unusual: around a third of younger women have a repeat within a year.

In teenagers, a few everyday things make UTIs more likely to keep happening:

• Not drinking enough during the day, so the bladder isn't flushed regularly
• Holding wee for hours, often because she doesn't like using the school toilets
• Wiping from back to front after the toilet
• Tight underwear or staying in damp gym kit or swimwear
• Being constipated

Recurrent UTIs have a medical definition: two infections in six months, or three in a year. 

If your daughter is hitting that, it's worth a proper conversation with a doctor rather than treating each one separately.

What are the signs of a UTI in my daughter?

The most recognisable signs are pain or a burning feeling when she wees, and needing to wee far more often than usual, sometimes with barely anything coming out.

Other signs to look out for:

• Cloudy or strong-smelling wee
• Blood in her wee
• Pain low down in her tummy
• Feeling tired, achy or generally unwell

Because some of these overlap with other things, a UTI can occasionally be mistaken for thrush or normal discharge in teens. 

The burning specifically when weeing, plus the constant urge to go, tends to point towards a UTI.

How can I help stop my daughter's UTIs coming back?

The good news is that a lot of prevention comes down to simple daily habits, and they're easy to build into her routine without making a big deal of it. 

The aim is to keep bacteria moving out rather than sitting in the bladder.

Things that often help:

• Drinking plenty of water through the day, not just at home in the evening
• Going for a wee when she needs to, rather than holding it for hours at school
• Weeing after any sexual activity, if relevant
• Wiping from front to back after the toilet
• Choosing cotton underwear 

There's also some evidence that cranberry products, or a supplement called D-mannose, may help lower the chance of UTIs coming back, though they aren't a treatment for an infection that's already there.

If wiping and washing habits feel like an awkward thing to raise, luna’s guide on building a hygiene routine with your daughter can help you.

luna also gives girls their own judgement-free space to learn about their bodies, with everything checked by medical experts.

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How do I treat my daughter's UTI?

Most UTIs are treated with a short course of antibiotics from a doctor, and symptoms usually start improving within a couple of days. 

It matters that she finishes the whole course, even once she feels better, so the infection clears fully.

For a simple UTI, a doctor may also suggest paracetamol for the discomfort and plenty of fluids alongside the antibiotics.

If your daughter keeps getting them, the doctor might try a different antibiotic, look into what's behind the pattern, or refer her to a specialist. 

Recurrent UTIs are common and very treatable, so there's real value in getting to the bottom of them rather than repeating the same short courses.

When should I worry about my daughter's UTI?

Most UTIs are uncomfortable but not serious. The thing to watch for is an infection spreading from the bladder up to the kidneys, which needs treating quickly.

Seek urgent advice by calling a doctor or 111 if she is under 15 or if she has:

• A high temperature, or feels hot, cold and shivery
• Pain in her lower back or side
• Being sick
• Blood in her wee

Call 999 or go to A&E if she becomes confused, drowsy or has difficulty speaking, as this can be a sign the infection has become serious.

It's also worth seeing a doctor for any first UTI, if symptoms don't improve within a couple of days of starting treatment, or if she's getting them again and again.

Frequently asked questions

Can holding her wee at school cause UTIs?

It can contribute. When wee sits in the bladder for a long time, bacteria have more chance to multiply. 

Lots of girls avoid school toilets, so gently encouraging her to go when she needs to, and to drink through the day, can genuinely help.

Are cranberry juice or supplements worth trying?

There's some evidence that cranberry products or D-mannose may help prevent UTIs from coming back in some people. 

They won't treat an infection that's already there, though, so they're a possible add-on to prevention rather than a substitute for antibiotics when she's actually unwell.

Could it be something other than a UTI?

Possibly. Thrush, skin irritation and even threadworms, which are very common in this age group, can cause soreness or itching that gets mistaken for a UTI. 

A doctor can test her wee to confirm whether an infection is actually there.

Can a UTI go away on its own?

Sometimes a very mild one settles with extra fluids, but it's not worth gambling on, especially in a teenager. 

Because an untreated UTI can spread to the kidneys, getting her seen and treated is the safer route.

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