Is a hole in the heart that didn't close the way it should after birth. During fetal development, a small flap-like opening — the foramen ovale (foh-RAY-mun oh-VAY-lee) — is normally present in the wall between the right and left upper chambers of the heart (atria).
Causes. A foramen ovale allows blood to go around the lungs. A baby's lungs are not used when it grows in the womb, so the hole does not cause problems in an unborn infant. The opening is supposed to close soon after birth, but sometimes it does not. In about 1 out of 4 people, the opening never closes. The Foramen Ovale. While a fetus develops in the womb, a small opening exists between the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria). This opening is called the foramen ovale. The purpose of the foramen ovale is to help circulate blood through the heart. A foramen ovale allows blood to go around the lungs. A baby's lungs are not used when it grows in the womb, so the hole does not cause problems in an unborn infant. The opening is supposed to close soon after birth, but sometimes it does not. In about 1 out of 4 people, the opening never closes. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an intracardiac defects, or holes in the heart. It is an abnormal openings in the wall (septum) that separates the two atria, or upper chambers, of the heart. PFO results when a normal opening in the septum fails to close after birth. Definition. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart that didn't close the way it should after birth. During fetal development, a small flap-like opening — the foramen ovale (foh-RAY-mun oh-VAY-lee) — is normally present in the wall between the right and left upper chambers of the heart (atria). It normally closes during infancy. When the foramen ovale doesn't close, it's called a patent foramen ovale. Normally the foramen ovale closes at birth when increased blood pressure on the left side of the heart forces the opening to close. If the atrial septum does not close properly, it is called a patent foramen ovale.
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001113.htm http://www.healthline.com/health/patent-foramen-ovale https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001113.htm https://www.sharecare.com/health/congenital-heart-disease/what-is-patent-foramen-ovale http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/patent-foramen-ovale/basics/definition/CON-20028729 http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/heart/disorders/congenital-heart/patent-foramen-ovale
what is the foramen ovale