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Bladder function in preterm and full-term infants--free voidings during four-hour voiding observation

Ulla Sillén1, Kelm Hjälmås

  • 1Pediatric Uro-Nephrological Centre, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.

Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology. Supplementum
|November 17, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Infant bladder function is similar in preterm and full-term babies, showing immature voiding patterns early in life. This suggests a connection to the central nervous system (CNS) even in preterm infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Pediatric urology
  • Developmental neuroscience

Background:

  • Understanding bladder function development is crucial for assessing infant health.
  • The four-hour voiding observation is a key method for studying infant voiding patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize and compare bladder function in healthy preterm and full-term infants.
  • To identify immature voiding patterns and their potential link to central nervous system (CNS) development.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of studies utilizing the four-hour voiding observation method.
  • Analysis of voiding frequency, bladder volume, voiding interruptions, and bladder emptying.
  • Comparison of voiding patterns between preterm and full-term infant groups.

Main Results:

  • Voiding patterns were largely similar between preterm and full-term infants.
  • Voiding frequency averaged hourly; bladder volumes varied.
  • Infants frequently woke before voiding, and complete bladder emptying was not universal.
  • Interrupted voiding (detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia) decreased with age, being more common in preterm infants.

Conclusions:

  • Infant voiding patterns appear immature early in life.
  • There is clear evidence of CNS influence on bladder function in preterm infants.
  • The findings support the hypothesis of early CNS-mediated bladder control development.

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