Abstract: This chapter presents an overview of normal perinatal circulation. Throughout gestation the fetus leads an aquatic existence submerged in the amniotic fluid, totally dependent upon its mother for existence through a special extra-corporeal organ of gaseous interchange that is the placenta. The fetal circulatory system is adapted to this parasitic type of existence and although the system is radically different from that of extrauterine life, it must be capable of immediate adaptation to the sudden independent state of the newborn baby after birth. In the placenta, the fetal and maternal circulations are anatomically and functionally interdependent, and gaseous exchange takes place between the fetal placental vessel in the chorionic villi and the highly oxygenated maternal blood in the placenta. The normal growth of the placenta basically consists of a coordinated development of the two vascular systems. These two systems are side channels of their respective systemic circulations and the volume of blood passing through either fetal or maternal circuits of the placenta is to a great extent independent of what goes to the other tissues of the fetus or mother.
Publication Year: 1969
Publication Date: 1969-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 2
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