Compare and contrast the fetal and postnatal circulatory patterns.
Fetal circulation is the blood circulation which occurs while the fetus is still within the mother's womb. On the other hand, postnatal circulation refers to the circulation of blood after the birth of the baby. The main difference between fetal and postnatal circulation is that, fetal circulation bypasses the lungs unlike postnatal circulation.
The circulation of blood to the lungs is bypassed by the presence of special valves such as the foramen ovale and the ductus arteriosus. After child birth the cry of the baby and clamping of the umbilical chord causes the valves which helps to shunt blood to close. Within a few weeks after birth, these closed valves to become fibrous tissue, and blood is circulated to the heart, lungs, and the rest of the body..
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