[Standard values for the intrauterine ultrasonography of hip joint development].

Although etiology and pathogenesis of congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) is of broad interest in orthopaedics, basic questions still remain obscure. Advances in high-resolution ultrasound technology now permit investigation of the fetal hip joint in vivo. Standard values of intrauterine hip development have been established by investigating 146 fetuses (141 pregnancies) in vivo by ultrasound. Standard values describe the development from 20th weeks of gestation until birth. Prenatal Alpha- values suggest influence of intrauterine posture and spatial fetal conditions on hip development. Alpha-angles of 59.7 (SD 8.9) are achieved at the end of pregnancy. These angles meet standards of Graf's calculations for the postnatal hip development. Standard values of intrauterine hip development are of basic interest for interpretation of hip joints in premature children.