Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Ductos Arteriosus and Foramen ovale
In the fetal heart, the foramen ovale (or ostium secundum of Born) allows blood to enter the left atrium from the right atrium. It is one of two shunts, the other being the ductus arteriosus, that allows blood entering the right atrium to bypass the pulmonary circulation. Another similar adaptation in the fetus is the ductus venosus. In most individuals, the foramen ovale (pronounced /fɒˈreɪmən oʊˈvɑːli/) closes at birth. It later forms the fossa ovalis. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foramen_ovale_(heart) In the fetal heart, the foramen ovale (or ostium secundum of Born) allows blood to enter the left atrium from the right atrium. It is one of two shunts, the other being the ductus arteriosus, that allows blood entering the right atrium to bypass the pulmonary circulation. Another similar adaptation in the fetus is the ductus venosus. In most individuals, the foramen ovale (pronounced /fɒˈreɪmən oʊˈvɑːli/) closes at birth. It later forms the fossa ovalis. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foramen_ovale_(heart)
It is the remnant of ductus arteriosus a blood vessel which bypassed the blood to the heart in foetus as the lungs are not functioning till the child is born. After birth once the lungs start functioning, it starts to close and is completely closed by second month.
The main point of both of these structures is to bypass the pulmonary circulation. You want to bypass pulmonary circulation because the fetus does not need the lungs yet to get oxygen. There is no oxygen in the womb for the baby to breath. It gets its oxygen from the mother at this point. Both of these structures will naturally close after birth but there are some instances where they don't and that's when doctors will have to fix the problem if it turns out it is causing issues.
In fetal circulation, the ductus arteriosus is a connective vessel between the pulmonary artery and aorta. It works as to bypass the lungs, which are collapsed in the womb. After birth, the ductus arteriosus normally closes.
Patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA, is a type of heart murmur that radiates to the back. It occurs when an infant's ductus arteriosus does not close after birth.
The closure of the ductus arteriosus at birth in a fetal pig helps shift blood flow from the pulmonary artery to the lungs, as the lungs become functional after birth. This redirection of blood improves oxygenation of the blood, supporting the piglet's transition from receiving oxygen from the placenta to breathing air.
Before birth, via the ductus arteriosus
The foramen ovale is a small hole in the fetal heart that allows blood to bypass the lungs, as the lungs are not yet functional in utero. The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, bypassing the lungs to deliver oxygenated blood from the mother to the fetus.
The ductus arteriosus typically closes shortly after birth in response to changes in oxygen levels, resulting in a structure known as the ligamentum arteriosum. In some cases, the ductus arteriosus fails to close properly, leading to a congenital heart defect known as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which may require surgical intervention to correct.
Bypass the pulmonary circulation as the fetus's lungs have not yet opened until after birth. Once the baby is delivered and takes its first breath, the ductus arteriosus is converted to the ligamentum arteriosum.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
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.
The ductus arteriosus closes off after birth due to the increase in oxygen levels in the blood, which causes the smooth muscle in the ductus arteriosus to contract and constrict the vessel. This closure is essential to redirect blood flow away from the lungs, which are now functional after birth, and help establish the pulmonary circulation.
In fetal circulation, the placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, so the lungs are not used for oxygen exchange - instead, a bypass called the ductus arteriosus shunts blood away from the lungs. After birth, the lungs take over oxygen exchange, the ductus arteriosus closes, and the foramen ovale between the atria closes, redirecting blood flow through the heart to support pulmonary circulation.
The two fetal circulation bypasses found in the fetal pig are the ductus venosus and the foramen ovale. The ductus venosus allows blood to bypass the liver, while the foramen ovale allows blood to pass from the right atrium to the left atrium, bypassing the pulmonary circulation.