At Birth, Dramatic Changes Occur in the Cardiovascular System

Question

At birth, dramatic changes occur in the cardiovascular system.

Accepted Answer

At birth, the baby's lungs are inflated for the first time, and the blood flow changes to accommodate this. The foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus, which allow blood to bypass the lungs in the fetal circulation, close, and the pulmonary circulation takes over. These changes lead to a significant transformation of the cardiovascular system at birth.