What it means
Before birth, the baby gets oxygen from the placenta, not the lungs, so most blood bypasses the lungs through this short vessel. After birth, when the baby breathes and oxygen levels rise, it normally closes within the first days. If it stays open, it is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a heart defect that sends extra blood to the lungs.
At a glance
| Spanish | conducto arterioso |
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Related terms
atrial septal defect
A hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
pulmonary artery
The large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.
heart murmur
A whooshing or swishing sound heard with a stethoscope, made by blood flowing unevenly through the heart.
ventricular septal defect
A hole in the wall between the heart's two lower chambers, present from birth.