Whanganui midwives fill the gap for newborn hip checks

WDHB midwife Jo McDonnell checks baby Hauiti Karena's hips. Photo/ Supplied

The number of Whanganui newborns getting their hips checked has almost doubled from 49 per cent to 94 per cent in the last six months.

Midwives are now taking on the responsibility of assessing newborn hips and if the midwife feels there is a problem the baby will be referred to the Outpatient Department's orthopaedic clinic.

Only one baby in every thousand is born with dislocated hips but identifying those babies is very important. Dislocated hips can lead to limping and early degenerative arthritis in young adults.

WDHB nurse coordinator-quality Ulyses Espiritu said orthopaedic consultants and registrars are not always able to check a baby before it leaves the Maternity Ward, and the parents of babies born in rural settings are not always able to attend their Outpatient Department appointments.

"Babies were slipping through the net unchecked."

"When the Outpatient Department registered nurse Charlene Sagad and myself noticed an increase in the number of referrals we became concerned and started looking for solutions with our Maternity Ward colleagues," Mr Espiritu said.

He said because baby hip checks are included in midwives' scope of practise they decided, with the support of the orthopaedic consultants and registrars, that midwives would do the checks.

"The trial began in October last year and by early this year the results were so encouraging it was decided to officially hand the responsibility to our midwives working in the Maternity Ward and in rural settings."

Mr Espiritu said another change that has been positive was when it's decided that a baby needs to be seen by an orthopaedic consultant or registrar.

The Outpatient Department booking is made on the spot with the midwife rather than having the clinic send the parents a letter at a later date.

He said it's important that parents know that several treatments are available for babies with dislocated placed hips.

WDHB brochures are provided in the newborn care package given to parents - one which explains why the checks are done and the other, which backgrounds the treatments available.