Foetal Circulation
Prior to birth the foetus is not capable of respiratory function and
thus relies on the maternal circulation to carry out gas, nutrient and
waste exchange. The foetal and maternal blood never mix, instead they
interface at the placenta.
Consequently the liver and the lungs are non-functional, and a series
of shunts exist in the foetal circulation so that these organs are
almost completely by-passed.
Shunt 1: The Ductus Venosus
Oxygenated blood travels from the placenta via the umbilical vein and most of it bypasses the liver
by way of the ductus venosus. The ductus venosus links the umbilical
vein to the caudal...
