Characteristics of fetal blood circulation

Key reminder: The characteristic of the fetal blood circulation system is that the fetal blood circulation system only has systemic circulation, and there is no pulmonary circulation system. The relative paths of the blood circulation system are mainly the ductus arteriosus, the foramen ovale, and the venous hose. The whole process of the fetal blood circulation system is: the embryo's arteries and veins enter the fetal body through the veins, converge into the hepatic vein, pass through the oval foramen, and then flow into the left atrium.

The fetus refers mainly to the pregnancy period, especially the embryo that appears after 8 weeks of pregnancy. Once entering the fetal stage, various important organs of the fetus begin to grow and develop and gradually form. The fetus in the mother's uterus mainly absorbs nutrients through the umbilical cord, embryo, and amniotic fluid, so as to ensure the healthy growth of the body and normal development. But, what is the fetal circulatory system like? Below, let's talk about topics related to the fetal circulatory system and talk about: What are the characteristics of the fetal blood circulation system? What is the whole process of the fetal blood circulation system?

What are the characteristics of the fetal blood circulation system? Fetal blood is ethereal, and mainly refers to the nutrients and metabolic gases obtained by the fetus. It mainly exchanges with the pregnant mother through the blood vessels of the fetal umbilical cord and the embryo. The main characteristics of the fetal blood circulation system are: the fetus's nutrition and gas exchange depend on the umbilical cord blood vessels of the embryo and fetus. The fetus's blood circulation system only has systemic circulation, and there is no pulmonary circulation system. And at this time, the blood in the fetus' body itself is mixed blood. The relative pathways of the fetal blood circulation system are mainly the ductus arteriosus, the foramen ovale, and the venous hose. The blood oxygen in the fetus' liver is relatively high, followed by the blood in the heart, brain and other parts.

What is the process of fetal blood circulation? The general process is as follows: the arteries and veins of the embryo enter the fetus' body through the veins and converge into the hepatic vein. After entering the vena cava, most of the blood will pass through the foramen ovale and then flow into the left atrium. Then there are branches entering the pulmonary artery. Although the fetus's lungs have already grown, they have no specific function, so this blood mainly flows into the pulmonary artery.

According to the above, we know that the fetus has a circulatory system. Although the fetus's lungs have begun to develop, they have no essential function. Therefore, the fetus's blood circulation is not a true pulmonary circulation, but a systemic circulation. Understanding the characteristics of the fetal blood circulation system and the entire process of the circulation system is helpful to understand the growth and development of the fetus.