By Courtney Snavely
Let’s play 2 truths and a lie, The Peeing After Sex Edition:
1. “OH my god I fell asleep after having sex and didn’t pee and now I’m DEFINITELY gonna get a UTI.”
2. “I think they had an STD but I went to the bathroom immediately afterwards so I’m probably okay”
3. “We didn’t use a condom but I peed after so it probably flushed most of the semen out.”
Spoiler alert, they’re ALL LIES!
Don’t feel embarrassed if you were fooled, there are a ton of misconceptions when it comes to peeing after sex. Your faithful Ovee Health warriors are here to break down the FACT vs. FICTION.
FICTION
Peeing after sex does NOT prevent you from contracting STI’s
Many STD’s are spread through skin-to-skin contact (genital and oral herpes, and some strains of HPV) or exchange of bodily fluids (a.k.a. the stuff you see on CSI, blood, semen, pre-cum, and vaginal fluids).
Peeing after sex will not wash away your exposure; the damage is already done, no matter how many liters of water, gatorade, coconut water, cranberry juice, etc. etc. you drink.
If you’re concerned about an STI, let us know! We can help you find a place to get tested, be your text buddy while you’re waiting, or even help you construct the perfect “hey you might have chlamydia” letter to drop in a hookups mailbox.
You can STILL get pregnant even if you take a leak after you copulate
(so close to rhyming on that one!)
This is up there in incorrectness with the “I won’t get pregnant in a hot tub or if I’m on top” urban myths.
Your urethra is not connected to your vagina; your urethra connects to your bladder while your vagina connects to your uterus, so flushing out your urethra won’t get rid of sperm in your vagina or uterus.
While we’re on the topic of flushing out, douching is also ineffective in preventing pregnancy. After ejaculation, around 65% of sperm have already headed towards the cervix. By the time you get up to wash everything out, many sperm have already made it to the promise land of your uterus!
If I don’t pee after sex I WILL get a UTI
Women do have a shorter urethra which makes them much more vulnerable to UTI’s and bladder infections because of the shorter distance to the bladder. UTI’s are caused when bacteria (probably from your colon or rectum) finds its way into your urethra. During sex, it’s possible that all the motion of the ocean pushes bacteria closer to your urethra.
In a small case study, there was only a slight decrease in risk of developing a first or second time UTI for women who urinated <15 minutes after coitus (sexy sex time). If you’re not prone to UTI’s, not peeing after sex does not mean you will definitively get a UTI.
FACT
Peeing after sex does decrease risk of UTI in women with recurrent infection
For all the ladies out there that have frequent UTI’s, listen up. You’ll want to pee within 15 minutes of having sex. This is going to flush out any bacteria that shouldn’t be there. You might also consider washing with a plain, unscented soap. You'll also want to stay away from douching, scented wipes, or perfumed soaps which could also increase chances of infection.
Peeing after is not just for hetero women!
Bacteria that causes a UTI can be introduced from anywhere, including mouths, fingers, toys, and yes, other vaginas. If you are a repeat UTI infectee (don't think this is a word but you get the point), make sure you are peeing and cleaning up post sexy time.
Now with these nuggets of truth, go forth into the world and feel confident & clean about your post-coital routine!
Still have questions about peeing after sex?
Send us a message at hello@ovee.me!
