Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The fetal circulation.

Torvid Kiserud1, Ganesh Acharya

  • 1University of Bergen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bergen, Norway. torvid@online.no

Prenatal Diagnosis
|December 23, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Five centuries of ductus venosus: The little vessel with a big liver dilemma.

The Journal of physiology·2026
Same author

Comprehensive 16S rRNA gene sequencing and meta-transcriptomic analyses of the female reproductive tract microbiota: two molecular profiles with different messages.

Human reproduction open·2026
Same author

Acute high-dose irradiation disrupts cell adhesion and Silk-Ovarioid formation in human primary ovarian cells.

Journal of ovarian research·2026
Same author

Development and validation of a novel prediction model for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy based on maternal cardiovascular function and placental blood flow metrics at 22 to 24 gestational weeks using machine learning.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Optical super-resolution histology of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples: challenges and opportunities.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

The cost-analysis of Team-Based Learning versus small group interactive learning in undergraduate medical education.

BMC medical education·2025
Same journal

Fetoscopic Vesicostomy for Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction: A Proposal for a New Surgical Technique.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
Same journal

Performance of a Flexible Versus Rigid Fetoscope in the Simulated Management of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
Same journal

Thickened Nuchal Translucency, Lymphangioma, and Ventriculomegaly: Prenatal Phenotypes for MSL2-Related Disorders.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
Same journal

Genomic Landscape and Perinatal Outcomes of Fetal Polydactyly: A Retrospective Cohort Study Integrating CNV-seq and Trio-ES.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
Same journal

Detecting Androgenetic Origin of the Genome via Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism-Based Cell-Free DNA Screening in Dichorionic Diamniotic Twin Pregnancies With Complete Hydatidiform Moles and a Coexisting Normal Fetus: A Three-Case Report.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
Same journal

Structural Variation Sequencing of 26 Amniotic Fluid Samples With Partial Gene Duplications and Postnatal Follow-Up of the Fetuses.

Prenatal diagnosis·2026
See all related articles

The human fetal circulatory system is adaptable, with blood flow patterns changing during development. Key shunts like the ductus venosus and foramen ovale adjust, especially between 28-32 weeks of gestation.

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cardiovascular Science

Background:

  • Human fetal circulation shares similarities with animal models but exhibits distinct characteristics.
  • Understanding fetal circulatory dynamics is crucial for assessing developmental health and potential complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate the specific patterns and developmental changes in human fetal circulation.
  • To compare human fetal circulatory parameters with those observed in animal studies.
  • To identify key distributional units and watersheds within the fetal circulatory system.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of accumulating data on human fetal circulation.
  • Comparison of blood flow distribution, including placental flow, ductus venosus, foramen ovale, and pulmonary circulation.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Observation of changes in circulatory patterns relative to gestational age.

    • Main Results:

    • Human fetuses circulate less blood through the placenta and shunt less via the ductus venosus and foramen ovale compared to fetal sheep.
    • Pulmonary blood flow is greater in human fetuses than in fetal sheep.
    • Circulatory patterns exhibit significant individual variation and change with gestational age, with a notable shift occurring between 28-32 weeks.
    • At 28-32 weeks, shunting through the ductus venosus and foramen ovale is minimized, while pulmonary flow is maximized.
    • The ductus venosus and foramen ovale function as a unit for venous return, with specific venous and arterial watersheds identified.
    • Fetal circulatory responses to stress (increased afterload, hypoxemia, acidemia) mirror animal study findings, including altered shunting and flow distribution.

    Conclusions:

    • The human fetal central circulation is a flexible and adaptive system.
    • Gestational age significantly influences fetal circulatory dynamics, particularly around 28-32 weeks.
    • The identified distributional and arterial/venous watersheds highlight the intricate regulation of fetal blood flow.
    • Fetal circulatory responses to physiological challenges are conserved across species but manifest uniquely in the human context.