Anaesthesia | Obstetrics | The Fetal Circulation
The Fetal Circulation
Session Overview
Description
This session describes circulation and oxygen delivery in the fetus with particular reference to control of the fetal circulation and the transition to the neonatal circulation at birth.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:
- Describe the fetal circulation
- List the major factors influencing the fetal circulation and the circulatory changes at birth
- Describe the process of gas transfer across the placenta and oxygen delivery to the fetus
- List the major factors influencing drug transfer across the placenta
Fetal circulation is markedly different from adult circulation.
In the fetus, gas exchage does not occur in the lungs but in the placenta. The placenta receives deoxygenated blood from the umbilical arteries and returns oxygenated blood to the fetus via the umbilical vein (Fig 1).
In addition, the fetal cardiovascular system is designed in such a way that the most highly oxygenated blood is delivered to the myocardium and brain.
These circulatory adaptations are achieved in the fetus by both the preferential streaming of oxygenated blood and the presence of intracardiac and extracardiac shunts. Therefore, the fetal circulation can be defined as a 'shunt-dependent' circulation.
It is important for anyone involved in obstetric and paediatric anaesthesia to understand the distinction between fetal and neonate circulation.
- Step to Work | Systems that shape everyday practic...
- Posted By eIntegrity Healthcare e-Learning
- Posted Date: 2024-12-23
- Location:Online
- This session looks at how the everyday practice of allied health professionals is part of, and shaped by, complex systems.
- Step to Work | Sustaining change and learning
- Posted By eIntegrity Healthcare e-Learning
- Posted Date: 2024-12-23
- Location:Online
- In this session, we will help you begin to draw together some of your reflections and learning from the Step to Work programme. We will be drawing on some ideas from positive psychology to help you do this.
- Step to Work | Positive appraisal of learning duri...
- Posted By eIntegrity Healthcare e-Learning
- Posted Date: 2024-12-23
- Location:Online
- This session focuses on appraising your experiences in service settings to help you surface and understand the thoughts and feelings1 about difficult and challenging situations you have experienced. It will also help you to better appreciate your own stre
- Step to Work | Personal wellbeing at work
- Posted By eIntegrity Healthcare e-Learning
- Posted Date: 2024-12-23
- Location:Online
- This session explores how we can use self-care practices to help overcome the negative impacts that challenging days at work have on us and promote health and wellbeing.
- Step to Work | Introduction to the sessions in the...
- Posted By eIntegrity Healthcare e-Learning
- Posted Date: 2024-12-23
- Location:Online
- Introdcution to the sessions in the Step to Work programmme.