A baby's development before birth is a complex system of tissue growth taking place in all parts of the body. The hip joints provide flexibility, and a healthy hip joint in a baby will work to help her stand and walk as she gets older. In some situations, problems may occur during hip development, and these eventually will require correction.
Bones
Before birth, a baby's bones are made mainly of cartilage, which slowly changes into the hardened structure of bone. The body produces osteoclasts, or cells that help create bone tissue. Osteoclasts take the place of the cartilage through a process called ossification, which is the development of bone. By the time a baby is born, many of her bones have become ossified from their previous state.
Hip Development
Normal hip development occurs when there is a connection between the leg and the pelvis. The femur is the long bone of the leg, and the end of it has a head called an epiphysis. The epiphysis of the femur is rounded and referred to as a ball. This ball fits into the socket in the pelvis called the acetabulum, and is held in place by ligaments. This type of ball-and-socket joint makes up the hip joint.
Dysplasia
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is a congenital disorder that affects the hip bones of a baby. DDH occurs when the end of the femur slips out of joint at the acetabulum. The leg bone may slide in and out of the socket or the hip may be continuously dislocated. According to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, DDH occurs in one out of every 1,000 live births.
Treatment
Treatment of hip dysplasia is done through the use of a brace that holds a baby's legs apart while rotating them outward. This positions the leg bone within the hip socket and corrects the condition while the baby grows. Babies typically wear braces for 23 of 24 hours a day. The brace may be worn for several months to correct the condition. If the leg bone remains out of socket, surgery may be necessary to increase the size of the acetabulum or to tighten the ligaments that hold the bone in place.
Risks
Some babies are at higher risk for hip problems than others. Babies who grow in the breech position have a 10 times greater chance of developing hip dysplasia than those in the standard presentation, according to the Children, Youth and Women's Health Service. Other risk factors for hip development problems include being the mother's first baby, as the uterus may be smaller and impede some growth; a large-sized baby; and low amounts of fluid surrounding the baby before birth.
