Are Newcastle urine collection pads suitable as a means of collecting specimens from infants?

The collection of uncontaminated urine specimens from infants is not straightforward. This quasi-experimental study was designed to investigate whether 'Newcastle urine collection pads' are suitable for this purpose. A minimum of two urine specimens were collected from 50 children aged one day to five years, one using a pad and the other by using a sterile adhesive bag. Since pad specimens successfully demonstrated the presence of urinary tract infection and a lower contamination rate than bag specimens; it is concluded that they are suitable. Pad specimens contained fewer cells than bag specimens, which must be acknowledged by clinicians.