Conceptual understanding of fetal cardiac anatomy and circulation pathways

Abstract

The use of this three-dimensional model of the fetal cardiac anatomy can be a teaching tool for understanding anatomical relationships and cardiac circulation during fetal life and postdelivery. It may also be used when discussing abnormal development of the heart (i.e., what happens to the left ventricle when mitral stenosis or aortic atresia develops?). Students have a visual model to help them understand transducer positions necessary to obtain a four- chamber, short-axis, or long-axis view of the heart.