Little is known about long-term consequences of recurrent urinary tract infections although 60% of women develop urinary tract infection during their lifetime and 20–40% of them have a recurrence.

To study the role of recurrent urinary tract infections in mortality or development of kidney dysfunction or hypertension in women.

Retrospective analysis of prospective, population-based 20-year follow-up study.

Community.

A birth cohort of 764 older females living in the defined geographical area in Southwestern Finland who were 70 years old at baseline.

The participants were examined and interviewed to assess health history, health behaviors, cardiovascular risk factors, morbidity and physical, social and psychocognitive functioning at the age of 70, 80, 85 and 90 years between 1991–2011.

Recurrent urinary tract infections in females were not associated with increased mortality, development of hypertension or kidney dysfunction. Urinary incontinence predisposed females to receive antimicrobial treatment for recurrent urinary tract infections.

The results indicate that recurrent urinary tract infection in females is a benign disease in the absence of abnormalities of the urinary tract even in the older population.