Since the layout of male and female bodies is entirely different, it is no surprise the urethra is different too. As mentioned previously, the female urethra is much shorter than the male urethra. While both men and women can get urinary tract infections, they are much more common in women due to the shortness of this tube. The external opening of the urethra is a minimal distance from the interior of the body, which means bacteria and other irritants have a better chance of getting inside before the body's defense system can destroy them. For men, germs and bacteria have to travel a long way to reach the bladder or other organs, giving the body more time to fend them off.

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