The impact of prematurity on postnatal growth of different renal compartments.

Aim: In humans, nephrogenesis ceases before birth, but the renal medulla compartment continues to develop after birth. We aim to evaluate the relative growth of different renal compartments in preterm babies compared with age-matched term babies, and explore the impact of premature birth on postnatal renal maturation, remodelling and possible long-term implications.

Methods: This retrospective study compared the renal ultrasonographic images between preterm babies and term infants.