Although the bladder is considered to be pelvic in the adult, it has a higher position in children. At birth, the bladder is almost entirely abdominal; the urethra begins approximately at the upper margin of the pubic symphysis. With age, the bladder descends until after puberty when it assumes the adult position.
The urethra begins at the base of the bladder and ends with an external opening in the perineum. The paths taken by the urethra differ significantly in women and men.