Ch. 28 Pregnancy and Human Development
Hoehn, Haynes, Abbott12th EditionMarieb Human Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780138242732Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 28, Problem 5
In the fetus, the ductus arteriosus carries blood from
(a) the pulmonary artery to the pulmonary vein
(b) the liver to the inferior vena cava
(c) the right ventricle to the left ventricle
(d) the pulmonary trunk to the aorta
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the role of the ductus arteriosus in fetal circulation. It is a blood vessel that allows blood to bypass the lungs, which are not yet functional before birth.
Step 2: Recall that in fetal circulation, blood flows from the right ventricle into the pulmonary trunk (also called the pulmonary artery), but since the lungs are not used for oxygen exchange, most of this blood is shunted away from the lungs.
Step 3: Identify that the ductus arteriosus connects the pulmonary trunk to the aorta, allowing blood to flow directly into systemic circulation.
Step 4: Eliminate other options by understanding their anatomical inaccuracies: (a) pulmonary artery to pulmonary vein is not connected by the ductus arteriosus; (b) liver to inferior vena cava is related to the ductus venosus, not the ductus arteriosus; (c) right ventricle to left ventricle are separate chambers without a direct vessel connecting them.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct description of the ductus arteriosus is that it carries blood from the pulmonary trunk to the aorta.
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Ductus Arteriosus Function
The ductus arteriosus is a fetal blood vessel that connects the pulmonary trunk to the aorta. It allows most of the blood from the right ventricle to bypass the non-functioning fetal lungs and flow directly into systemic circulation.
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Fetal Circulation
Fetal circulation differs from postnatal circulation because the lungs are not yet functional. Oxygenated blood comes from the placenta, and shunts like the ductus arteriosus redirect blood to bypass the lungs and deliver oxygen to the body.
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Pulmonary Trunk and Aorta Anatomy
The pulmonary trunk carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs, while the aorta distributes oxygenated blood to the body. In the fetus, the ductus arteriosus connects these two vessels to reroute blood flow.
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Related Practice
