Understanding Heart Blood Flow Changes Before and After Birth
School
Walden University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
NURS 4221
Subject
Nursing
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by DoctorBook28135
Blood Flow Difference of the Heart Before and After BirthHeart development occurs early in fetal development. It begins to beat and pump blood around the third week after conception, indicating its importance in maintaining life by enabling the placenta to carry nutrition, oxygen, and waste products from the mother to the baby. The distinct anatomy and circulation of the embryonic heart are vital adaptations for life in the womb,where the lungs are still developing.During the prenatal stage, the fetus relies on the mother for oxygenation, where it receives blood that is abundant in oxygen through the umbilical vein. The blood is directed efficiently to facilitate the growth of the fetus, avoiding the non-operational lungs (Kailey Remien & Majmundar, 2023). This process is facilitated by two important shunts: the foramen ovale and the ductus arteriosus. The ductus arteriosus joins the pulmonary artery to the aorta, further guaranteeing that most blood avoids the pulmonary circulation. The foramen ovale permits blood to travel from the right atrium straight to the left atrium, avoiding the lungs (Martyet al., 2020). This vascular pattern is essential because the fetus's lungs are filled with fluid and compressed, rendering them unable to facilitate gas exchange. These modifications are necessaryto deliver nutrients and oxygen to the developing embryo effectively due to the reliance on placental oxygenation.After being born, the newborn's initial breaths trigger significant changes. These breaths fill the lungs with air, reducing pulmonary resistance and enhancing blood circulation to the lungs for oxygenation. As a result, the foramen ovale and the ductus arteriosus shut, redirecting the blood flow. It is now the heart's job to circulate oxygenated blood throughout the body from the lungs and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs for reoxygenation.
ReferencesKailey Remien, & Majmundar, S. H. (2023, March 13). Physiology, Fetal Circulation. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539710/Marty, M., Kerndt, C. C., & Lui, F. (2020). Embryology, Fetal Circulation. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537149/