[Use of ultrasound in the study of the hip joints of fetuses during different periods of intrauterine development].

There has been investigated a hundred of women (aged 25-36 years) with aggravated obstetric-gynecologic anamnesis with wrong fetus position, familial predisposition for congenital hip dislocation and hip joint dysplasia. Fetuses were investigated at the "Toshiba" ultrasonography apparatus by a sensor with frequency of 5 mHz. Investigation of fetus hip joint in different terms of prenatal development has demonstrated that the joints were presented mainly by immature forms (11 a type) though at later terms of prenatal development there were present mature joints as well (1 a type). Ultrasonographic investigation permits to determine and measure the diameter of cartilaginous head of femur, evaluate its relation to cotyloid cavity, measure the center of the head ossification. The most intensive growth of the head occurs at 26-38 weeks of prenatal development. Hip joint stability can only be evaluated at later term of prenatal development.