FETAL CIRCULATION
DEFINITION
• The fetal circulation is the
circulatory system of a human fetus
encompassing the entire
fetoplacental circulation which
includes the umbilical cord and the
blood vessels within the placenta
that carry fetal blood.
• Here fetal blood flows to and from
the placenta at the attachment of
2
the umbilical cord.
UMBILICAL CORD
• 2 umbilical arteries
return non-oxygenated blood , fetal
waste,CO2 to placenta.
• 1umbilical vein
brings oxygenated blood and
nutrients to the fetus.
3
THREE SHUNTS
• DUCTUS VENOSUS:
connects the umbilical vein to the
inferior vena cava.
• DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS:
connects the main pulmonary artery to
the aorta.
• FORAMEN OVALE:
anatomic opening between the
right and left atrium. 4
5
PATHWAY
• Oxygenated blood from placenta
through umbilical vein
Fetus
Liver
Receives deoxygenated blood from the
portal vein.(through ductus venosus)
Inferior vena cava
Right atrium of heart
(foramen ovale)
Left atrium of heart
6
Left ventricle of heart
DURING VENTRICULAR
SYSTOLE
Left ventricular Right ventricular
blood blood(with <02
content)
Ascending aorta pulmonary arteries
and distributed by (ductus arteriosus)
their branches to descending aorta
the hypogastric
heart,head,neck,bra arteries
in ,arms.
umbilical arteries
7
placenta
• CARDIAC OUTPUT
during fetal life 350ml per
min.
following birth 500ml per
min
• HEART RATE
120 - 140per min.
8
AT BIRTH
• Clamping the cord shuts down low
pressure system.
• Increased atmospheric pressure
causes lungs to inflate with oxygen.
• Lungs now become a low pressure
system.
CIRCULATORY CHANGES
• Obliteration of umbilical vein, ductus
arteriosus ,ductus venosus and 9
CHANGES IN CIRCULATION
AFTER BIRTH.
• Blood flows from pulmonary arteries into left
atrium through lungs hence pressure in LA
increases and RA decreases, foramen ovale
closed.
• Increased rush of blood from RV to lungs through
pulmonary artery makes it impossible for blood to
go through ductus arteriosus hence it gets
obliterated.
• After ligating umbilical cord ,blood supply gets
cuts off,hence umbilical vein gets agglutinate and
reduced to cord like ligament (ligamentum teres).
• Ductus venosus also collapses and becomes
vestigial structure.
10
UMBILICAL ARTERIES TO UMBILICAL
LIGAMENTS
UMBILICAL VEIN TO LIGAMENTUM 11
TERES
12
TRANSITION FROM FETAL TO ADULT TYPE
CIRCULATION.
13
THANK YOU…
