Good Example Of Fetal Circulation Research Paper

Fetal circulation describes the flow of blood in the fetus. This flow of the blood is usually complicated compared to the blood flow in the normal human being. In the fetus, the placenta does the work of the lungs. After the baby is born, the lungs take over the function from the placenta. Blue blood from the fetus reaches the placenta through umbilical arteries (Woollett, 2011). The placenta performs the purification of blood and converts into oxygenated blood (red blood). Red blood flows back to the fetus through the umbilical vein. It passes through the fetal liver before it gets into the right side of the heart. The birth of the baby leads to the closure two connections through which blood gets into the fetal heart.

Differences between fetal circulation and adult circulation

In fetal circulation, the artery carries blue blood from the fetal heart to the placenta (Stefulj et al., 2009) while in adult circulation, the artery carries oxygenated blood from the heart into other parts of the body. In fetal circulation, oxygenated blood from the placenta reaches the fetal heart through umbilical veins while in adult circulation, non-oxygenated blood reaches the heart from other body parts through the veins (Desai, 2015). The umbilical veins in the fetus are not found in the adults. While gaseous exchange occurs in the placenta in fetal circulation, it takes place in the lungs for adults. The placenta plays a vital role in fetal circulation and it is not found in adults. The fetus experiences increase in pressure from the right side of the heart while adults experience pressure increase on the left side of the heart.

References

Desai, R. (2015). Fetal circulation right before birth. Pearson
Stefulj, J., Panzenboeck, U., Becker, T., Hirschmugl, B., Schweinzer, C., Lang, I., &
Wadsack, C. (2009). Human endothelial cells of the placental barrier efficiently deliver cholesterol to the fetal circulation via ABCA1 and ABCG1. Circulation research, 104(5), 600-608.
Woollett, L. A. (2011). Review: Transport of maternal cholesterol to the fetal circulation.
Placenta, 32, S218-S221.