Author(s)

G. Pennati & M. Bellotti

Abstract

Doppler waveforms of the human fetal cardiovascular system: a mathematical model G. Pennati,* M. Bellotti* "Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Italy ^Dipartimento di Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Ospedale S.Paolo, Milan, Italy 1 Introduction Fetal hemodynamics differ significantly from the postnatal ones. During fetal life the blood circulation is arranged as a parallel system, where both ventricles eject into the systemic circulation. Lungs do not operate, blood is oxygenated within the placenta and returns to the fetal body via the umbilical vein. A series of three shunts, (i.e. the foramen ovale, the ductus venosus and the ductus arteriosus) and the placental circulation, makes this arrangement functional during the intrauterine life. In the past the investigation of fetal circulation has been addressed only to invasive animal studies*, but recently the advent of improved color Doppler and pulsed Doppler technology has allowed to monitor and to study quite

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