The U2 examination of your baby – that’s done

The U2 examination is usually carried out in the clinic. In the case of an outpatient birth, a birth in a birth center or a home birth , the U2 takes place at a pediatrician , who can also come to your home if necessary. However, you should make an appointment with him in good time. As a rule, your baby is between three and ten days old at the time of the examination.

What is examined during the U2 examination?

In the U2, your baby will be examined again particularly thoroughly. Metabolic diseases can already be detected by metabolic screening. A hearing test has also been part of the U2 since 2009. Many clinics already offer a hip ultrasound for the U2, but it is also an integral part of the U3. Each screening is presented to you in more detail below.

In addition, your child will be examined from head to toe:

• Height and weight: Your baby will be measured and weighed.
• Breathing: At the U2, the doctor checks whether your baby is breathing regularly. The respiratory rate of healthy newborns is around 30-50 times per minute.
• Heart and circulatory system: The small heart should beat about 100-140 times per minute. Checks are also made for abnormal heart murmurs.
• Skin: The doctor carefully examines the texture and color of the skin. From time to time, babies develop what is known as neonatal jaundice, which is a condition in which the bile pigment bilirubin builds up in the body. In most cases it is completely harmless and the dye will either break down on its own over the coming days or can be treated quickly.
• Navel: Wound healing on the navel is also examined.
• Abdomen and genitals: The U2 scans the abdomen and genitals again to check whether your baby’s digestion is working properly. The urine is often very light in color at first, but becomes darker over the next few weeks and smells more intensely.
• Skeletal, muscular and nervous systems: The head circumference is measured and the distances between the fontanelles are checked. The doctor tests reflexes and body tension and takes a thorough look at the entire physique again.

The metabolism screening in the U2 examination

During metabolism screening, blood is taken from your baby’s heel and examined for metabolic diseases in the laboratory. Such a test can be carried out at the earliest 36 hours after birth, since the child’s metabolic performance is only then sufficiently developed for meaningful laboratory results to be obtained. With the screening at the U2, for example, a hypothyroidism or a disorder in the amino acid metabolism can be detected early. Don’t worry, such diseases are very rare.

Hearing test (OAE measurement)

Since 2009, hearing screening has also been included in the precautionary guidelines for U2. The doctor can determine whether there is a connection between your baby’s outer ear and inner ear and diagnose any hearing loss at an early stage. The test is completely painless for the newborn. With the help of a soft earplug connected to the test device, the doctor tests whether your baby reacts to certain sounds at a certain volume.

Hip ultrasound at the U2 examination

Many clinics already offer a hip ultrasound, in which injuries or malformations can be discovered and then treated. You can also ask your pediatrician, who will either perform the ultrasound himself or refer you to an orthopedist. The hip ultrasound is also an integral part of the U3, so it doesn’t matter if it is not done in the U2.

Ideally, the acetabulum is so developed that the femur will later sit securely in it. Hip dysplasia, a malformation of the hip, is found in about three percent of all newborns. A distinction is made between different degrees of maldevelopment (type Iab, IIa+, IIc, III and IV), whereby, for example, degree IIa+ indicates only a slight delay in hip maturation and usually normalizes itself. A higher degree of delayed maturation or a malformation can be corrected with orthopedic aids, for example special braces.

All the results of the U2 are entered in a small yellow booklet, in which every check-up and its results will be noted in the future. The check-ups offer a good opportunity to discuss questions or problems with the doctor. Here you will receive valuable tips and advice for the coming weeks and months. The next check-up, the U3 , will take place in about four to six weeks.