Patent foramen ovale

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Patent foramen ovale

Fetuses have a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the condition is called patent foramen ovale (PFO).

PFO is the persistence of a fetal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. This hole allows blood to bypass the lungs, because they are not used until a baby is born. The foramen ovale normally closes soon after the infant is born.

The foramen ovale may remain open in as many as 1 out of 5 people. The cause is unknown and there are no known risk factors for developing a PFO.

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