I'm 23, and I have UTIs since I started my period at the age of nine. I take cranberry pills, lots of vitamin C and drink tons of water, which prevented problems for a while. But, since I got married and started making love recently, I have had a really bad UTI. Does having sex somehow cause this? Am I going to have this problem every time we make love? How can I prevent this?

D.U.

Some women will have urinary tract irritation (not always an infection, which involves bacteria in the urine) after frequent or vigorous sex -- doctors call it "honeymoon cystitis." Emptying the bladder before and after sex, and drinking lots of fluids, can help stave off this irritation.

Some women actually do get an infection because intercourse can push vaginal bacteria into the bladder.Antibiotics may help this problem. Your shoudl talk to your doctor about antibiotics and other possible options.