Fetal circulation....

[Temperature101]

Fetal circulation is not listed in the AAMC biology topics. Do we still have to know some aspect of it?

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[MedGrl@2022]

Fetal circulation is not listed in the AAMC biology topics. Do we still have to know some aspect of it?

I was wondering the same thing the other day. It is discussed in my old Kaplan study books. It is not in my EK book, other than talking about hemoglobin of the fetal circulation wanting more oxygen then adult hemoglobin.

I hope some other SDNers can shed some light on this.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

Fetal circulation is not listed in the AAMC biology topics. Do we still have to know some aspect of it?

I think it may just be a good idea to know a little bit about it. I think if it comes up in the MCAT it will be in a passage or a discrete with an obvious answer. Other SDNers might have more information though.

Good luck!

 

[dudewheresmymd]

Though it's not technically on the AAMC syllabus, you should know the relative oxygen dissociation curves for fetal hemoglobin vs. adult hemoglobin (fetal hemoglobin is to the left of adult hemoglobin b/c it has more affinity for oxygen that it needs to "grab" from the mother in the diffusion that occurs in the placental barrier) and you should be aware of the major anatomical parts of fetal circulation: ductus arteriosus (shunts blood away from fetal lungs, connects pulmonary atery to aorta), ductus venosus (shunts blood away from fetal liver and connects umbilical vein to the inferior vena cava which dumps into the right atrium), and the foramen ovale (connects the right atrium to left atrium).

 

[sdm33]

Well done Dude, but ductus venosus (shunts blood away from fetal liver and it does not connects umbilical vein directly to right atrium) umbilical vein directly to the inferior vena cava etc..)

 

[dudewheresmymd]

Well done Dude, but ductus venosus (shunts blood away from fetal liver and it does not connects umbilical vein directly to right atrium) umbilical vein directly to the inferior vena cava etc..)

Oops my typing got ahead of my thought processes You are absolutely correct. Edited post for clarity.