The Fetal Pulmonary Trunk is Attached to the Fetal Aorta

Question

The fetal pulmonary trunk is attached to the fetal aorta via the ________.
A) brachiocephalic artery
B) left subclavian artery
C) ductus arteriosus
D) ligamentum arteriosum

Accepted Answer

The ductus arteriosus is a fetal blood vessel that connects the pulmonary trunk to the aorta, allowing most of the blood to bypass the lungs since they are not yet functional in the fetus. Once the baby is born, the ductus arteriosus usually closes within a few days, becoming a ligament known as the ligamentum arteriosum.