Hip screening is a vital diagnostic test that should be performed during the first few months of a newborn’s life using a simple ultrasound.
The exam is used to detect developmental hip dysplasia (DHD) —that is, congenital hip dislocation—at an early stage.
This is a developmental abnormality of the joint in which the head of the femur does not fit perfectly into its natural socket, known as the acetabulum. If left untreated, the hip may become deformed or dislocate completely, causing the child to limp noticeably as an adult and to develop severe osteoarthritis at an early age. Screening is used to intervene before permanent damage occurs.
Who It Is For and Risk Factors
It is intended for all newborns. In Italy, pediatric guidelines recommend it as a universal screening test, since many forms of dysplasia do not show obvious symptoms at birth and may go undetected during a routine physical examination by a pediatrician.
However, there are certain risk factors that require even greater attention, such as:
When is the screening performed?
The timing varies slightly depending on the risk. In most cases, the ultrasound should be performed between the 4th and 6th week of life, usually around the second month of life. Performing it earlier is often pointless because the joint is still too immature and could lead to false alarms, while performing it after three months would reduce the effectiveness of early interventions.
If risk factors or abnormalities are identified during the clinical examination , the test is scheduled earlier on medical advice.
An ultrasound is a quick, completely painless, and safe test. It does not involve radiation, and in almost all cases, the problem can be resolved simply by wearing special braces for a few weeks.
Why an ultrasound and not an X-ray?
In the first few months of life, a newborn’s skeleton consists mainly of cartilage. Traditional X-rays show only bones that are already formed and calcified, while they fail to reveal cartilaginous structures. Ultrasound imaging, on the other hand, perfectly maps the cartilage. This allows the radiologist to see exactly the shape of the femoral head and the acetabulum and to make an accurate diagnosis without exposing the newborn to radiation.
Are there any limitations to the pediatrician's procedures?
Immediately after birth, in the maternity ward and then during the first few checkups, the pediatrician performs manual tests on the newborn's legs.
Although essential, a manual examination and the search for asymmetries alone are not sufficient. Data show that approximately 40% of dysplasias—especially mild cases or those of the progressive type, meaning they worsen as the child grows—are completely missed during a manual examination and are detected solely through ultrasound.
What Life Clinic Offers
Don't put off such a simple yet essential checkup!
Schedule a neonatal hip ultrasound at Life Clinic, where our specialists perform the screening between 60 and 90 days after the baby’s birth, unless otherwise directed by the pediatrician or the discharge unit.
