Prevention of congenital dislocation of the hip in the newborn.

Routine examination and early treatment of any instability in the hips of newborns has recently been called into question after a period of universal agreement. The hips of 49,937 neonates were prospectively studied by a general hip screening. Every unstable hip--449 in 317 children--was immediately treated with a Von Rosen splint for a 3-month-period. Overall, satisfactory reduction of the incidence of established congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) was achieved. Risk factors leading to unstable hips (sex, first birth, and breech birth) and the development of CDH (time of stabilization) were considered.