Patient's question:
Medical Description: My baby is now four months old. Today, during a color Doppler ultrasound at the hospital, it was found that the foramen ovale is patent with a width of 2 mm. Will it close in the future? Treatment history and effectiveness: No treatment has been administered. Desired help: What should be done if it does not close?Doctor's answer:
The heart of the fetus gradually develops and matures. The primitive heart is a longitudinal tube, and some atria and ventricles can be distinguished by the 4th week of embryonic development. If the interatrial septum does not completely adhere to the endocardial cushion during its growth process between weeks 5 and 6, a channel will be left between the right and left atria, which is the foramen ovale. During fetal life, the fetus's blood circulation relies on the foramen ovale, allowing part of the blood to flow from the right atrium to the left atrium. After birth, as the umbilical vessels are cut off and the newborn's own pulmonary circulation is established, the pressure in the left atrium is higher than that in the right atrium. The blood in the right atrium no longer flows into the left atrium, and the foramen ovale functionally closes.