It's common knowledge and has been recommended for ages that women urinate immediately after sexual intercourse to help prevent contracting urinary tract infections (UTIs). The idea being to flush whatever bacteria might have wandered around or into the urethra during sex, such as bacteria found around the anus or from your partner, etc...
Now, this is medically sound advice, and doctor's have been advising women to do this, especially those susceptible to UTIs.
But here's what I don't get. When the topic comes up for men to urinate immediately after sex as a way to help prevent STDs caused by bacteria (Gonorrhea/Chlamydia/Syphilis/etc.), this advice is always downplayed as an old wives' tale at best, and usually described as completely worthless.
How can it be that urinating after sex may be beneficial to women to help prevent UTIs, but it's completely useless for men to prevent bacterial STD's? Is the bacteria that causes STDs in men that much different than the bacteria that causes UTIs in women, such that the very same process (urinating after sex) is helpful to women but completely useless for men?
I would appreciate any thoughtful explanations you may have that will help my reconcile this apparent contradiction.
Thanks!
Gary