Hidalgo, Louella C.

BSN3-1

Adult Systemic Circulation

deoxygenated blood

superior and inferior vena cava

right atrium

tricuspid valve

flows into the right ventricle

pulmonary semilunar valve is forced to open

blood flows to pulmonary trunk

pulmonary trunk branches to form pulmonary arteries (carry blood to the lungs)

lung tissue (pulmonary circulation)

oxygenated blood

pulmonary vein

blood flows to left atrium

bicuspid valve

to the left ventricle

aortic semilunar valves

aorta

distributed to all parts of the body

FETAL CIRCULATION
oxygenated blood from the placenta

enters the umbilical vein (called a vein even though it carries oxygenated blood, because the direction of the blood is toward the fetal heart)

shunt blood flow to first supply the most important organs of the body (brain, liver, heart and kidneys)

passes through inferior vena cava

enters right atrium

into the left atrium through an opening in the atrial septum called foramen ovale

enters the left ventricle

flows to ascending aorta

enters superior vena cava

goes to right atrium

tricuspid valve

enters right ventricle to the pulmonary artery

small portion of blood going to the lungs; large portion of blood to ductus arteriosus

enters descending aorta

enters umbilical arteries/hypogastric arteries (called arteries, even though they are now transporting deoxygenated blood, because they are carrying blood away from the fetal heart)

back through the umbilical cord

back to the placenta villi