Obturator palsy in the newly born.

Peripheral nerve palsies affecting a limb or limbs in the newly born are uncommon. The experience of the authors in a maternity teaching hospital suggests that the incidence is approximately 1 to 2 per 1,000 live births. Involvement of the lower limbs is especially uncommon (von Reuss, 1920; Brennemann, 1960) and paralysis of the obturator nerve is extremely rare. Two examples are described in this paper. In a previous discussion of the first case the authors (Craig and Clark, 1958) suggested that the palsy was attributable to mechanical factors operating in utero. Findings in the second case afford further evidence in support of the theory.