When is a baby's hip ultrasound done and how long does it take?
Applies to age: 0–3 months
In short
A primary care (POZ) doctor examines the child's hips (a physical examination) at the newborn care visit (porada patronażowa) in weeks 1–4 of life and at the health check (bilans) in months 2–6. A hip ultrasound is used to diagnose hip dysplasia in infants. It may be recommended when a child is more likely to have the defect, even without symptoms.
What is normal
Some claims: international norm
- The first health check of a child (the "zero" health check, bilans zero) is done right after birth, still in the hospital.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Badanie przeprowadza się zaraz po urodzeniu dziecka – jeszcze w szpitalu.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [1]
- Screening tests done in a newborn include detecting hip dysplasia (alongside, among other things, congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria and hearing problems).
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Wykonuje także badania przesiewowe pozwalające wykryć: wrodzoną niedoczynność tarczycy mukowiscydozę fenyloketonurię dysplazję stawów biodrowych problemy ze słuchem.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [1]
- The newborn care visit (porada patronażowa) by a primary care (POZ) doctor in weeks 1–4 of life includes, among other things, a physical examination to detect congenital hip dysplasia (Ministry of Health regulation on guaranteed services in primary care, consolidated text Journal of Laws (Dz.U.) 2023 item 1427, annex 1 part III item 1).
Source: Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
oraz badania przedmiotowego w kierunku wykrywania wrodzonej dysplazji stawów biodrowych.
Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [2]
- A medical examination in months 2–6 of life (at times matching the protective vaccinations) includes, among other things, a physical examination to detect congenital hip dysplasia (Ministry of Health regulation on guaranteed services in primary care, consolidated text Journal of Laws (Dz.U.) 2023 item 1427, annex 1 part III item 2 point 8).
Source: Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Badanie przedmiotowe w kierunku wykrywania wrodzonej dysplazji stawów biodrowych.
Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [2]
- In infants, hip dysplasia (DDH, developmental dysplasia of the hip) is diagnosed with an ultrasound scan of the hip joint.
Source: NHS · international norm – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
DDH is diagnosed in babies using an ultrasound scan of their hip.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [3]
- An ultrasound scan may be recommended when a child is more likely to have hip dysplasia, even without any symptoms.
Source: NHS · international norm – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Scanning may be recommended if your baby is more likely to have DDH, but does not have any symptoms.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [3]
- A child is more likely to have hip dysplasia if the child is a girl, if someone in the family has had the defect, or if the baby was in a breech position during pregnancy (bottom down, feet up).
Source: NHS · international norm – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
It's not clear why DDH happens, but there's a higher chance of your baby having it if: they're a girl someone else in your family has had it they moved into a breech position (lying with their feet upwards) during your pregnancy
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-13 · license [3]
international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.
Sources
- Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.
- Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw (ELI: eli.gov.pl, api.sejm.gov.pl)License: Akt normatywny, art. 4 pkt 1 ustawy o prawie autorskim (nie podlega ochronie). Source: Akty prawne w Dzienniku Ustaw (ELI: eli.gov.pl, api.sejm.gov.pl).
- NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS.