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In all mammals, the lungs oxygenate blood through gas exchange during respiration: breathing. Unborn babies float in amniotic fluid and so could not inhale and exhale anymore than you could underwater. Because they are not needed, the lungs mature relatively late in pregnancy. Although both baby and mother maintain discrete circulation, the placenta allows the transfer of oxygen as well as nutrients to the baby to support its growth and development.
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Does the blood bypass the heart an unborn baby in addition to lungs?
Yes, in an unborn baby, blood bypasses both the lungs and the heart in certain ways. The placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, allowing blood to flow directly from the umbilical cord to the fetal body, bypassing the lungs. Additionally, fetal blood circulation includes structures like the foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus, which allow blood to bypass the right side of the heart and the pulmonary circulation, directing it instead to the aorta and systemic circulation.
Why does the blood of unborn baby bypass its lungs until after birth?
In all mammals, the lungs oxygenate blood through gas exchange during respiration: breathing. Unborn babies float in amniotic fluid and so could not inhale and exhale anymore than you could underwater. Because they are not needed, the lungs mature relatively late in pregnancy. Although both baby and mother maintain discrete circulation, the placenta allows the transfer of oxygen as well as nutrients to the baby to support its growth and development.
What ductus arteriousis?
The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel in fetal circulation that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, allowing blood to bypass the nonfunctional lungs. It normally closes shortly after birth to redirect blood flow through the lungs for oxygenation. If it remains open (patent ductus arteriosus), it can cause abnormal blood flow and require medical intervention.
How does the ductus arteriosus improve the efficiency of fetal circulation?
The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel connecting the pulmonary artery to the proximal descending aorta. Its function is to allow the blood from the right ventricle to bypass the fluid-filled non-functioning lungs of the developing fetus.
Why is it important that a vessel allows most of the blood to bypass the lungs?
So the lungs may have the right material to produce oxygen it needs to function correctly.
Why does the arteriosus close off at birth?
The ductus arteriosus allows blood to pass around the lungs while the baby is in utero. After birth, it closes off so the lungs can oxygenate the blood.
Is the foraman ovale in a newborn?
Yes, the foramen ovale is present in newborns. It is a small hole in the heart that allows blood to bypass the lungs while in the womb. This opening usually closes shortly after birth as the baby starts breathing air and the lungs take over the oxygenation process.
What happens if the ductus arteriosus does not fully close after birth?
The infant will have abnormal blood flow between the aorta and pulmonary artery (those are the two major blood vessels in the heart). The ductus arteriosus is not needed after birth, since the lungs now fill with air (before birth, the pulmonary artery supplied blood to the lungs and aorta to be sent to the rest of the body).
What is the foramen ovale and what is its fate after birth?
That is very good question! You get the oxygenated blood from the placenta via umbilical vein in case of the fetus. This vein enters the liver of the fetus. The blood then goes to right atrium of the fetus. The lungs are closed in the fetus. So the blood goes to left atrium through foramen ovale to bypass the pulmonary circulation of the fetus. After the birth of the baby, baby takes the first breath. The lungs get inflated. Blood starts to flow via lungs. This closes the foramen ovale. The marking remains there on the wall between both the atria.
What does the ductus arteriosus shunt blood away from?
The ductus arteriosus shunts blood away from the lungs, directing it from the pulmonary artery to the aorta before birth. This allows oxygen-rich blood from the placenta to bypass the non-functioning fetal lungs.
What is the foraman ovule opening?
The foramen ovale is a small hole in the heart that allows blood to bypass the lungs before birth. It typically closes shortly after birth in a healthy individual but may remain open in some cases, leading to a condition known as a patent foramen ovale.
What blood vessel is present in the fetus but not in a child?
The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel present in the fetus but not in a child. It connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, allowing blood to bypass the non-functioning fetal lungs. After birth, the ductus arteriosus typically closes and becomes the ligamentum arteriosum, a remnant of the fetal circulation.
