A 42-year-old woman visits the outpatient clinic due to painful urination. A dipstick test reveals leukocytosis, which confirms the diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Which of the following is the best anatomic explanation for the fact that women are more susceptible to urinary tract infections than men?

The membranous urethra is shorter in women than in men. Because of its close proximity to the vestibule in women, it commonly leads to infections of the urinary tract. The vagina contains more bacterial flora than the penis. The prostate in the male produces a clear, alkaline fluid, but it has not been proved that it protects against bacterial infections. The uterus has no known antibacterial functions. The seminal vesicles produce a fructose-characterized fluid that provides nutrients to the sperm for the journey through the female genital tract.