What physiological reason makes females more susceptible to urinary tract infections?

Females are more susceptible to urinary tract infections primarily due to having a shorter urethra compared to males. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body, and in females, it is significantly shorter, making it easier for bacteria to travel from the urethral opening to the bladder. This anatomical difference means that pathogens have a shorter distance to cover, which increases the likelihood of infection.

Understanding the anatomy is crucial because it highlights why infections may occur more frequently in females. In contrast, factors such as body temperature, urinary retention, or hormone levels do not have a direct and significant impact on the susceptibility to urinary tract infections in the same way that the structural aspect of the urethra does.