The aorta moves blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. The pulmonary artery moves blood from the heart to the lungs.
Before birth and for a few days after birth, the pulmonary artery and the aorta are connected by a short blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus.
After birth, the ductus needs to close quickly so blood can flow normally, first through the lungs and then to the body.
What is patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)?
Patent is a medical term that means "open." In patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), the ductus arteriosus doesn't close.
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Premature babies are more likely to have PDA
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Often there aren't any symptoms, but a doctor listening with a stethoscope may hear a heart murmur (an unusual sound between heartbeats)
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Doctors treat PDA with medicine and sometimes surgery
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Babies with PDA have a higher than normal chance of getting a heart infection
Patent Ductus Arteriosus: Failure to Close
What causes PDA?
Doctors aren't sure why the ductus arteriosus doesn't close as it should in some babies, but PDA is much more common in premature babies.
What are the symptoms of PDA?
How can doctors tell if my baby has PDA?
Doctors suspect PDA if they hear a certain type of heart murmur. Doctors confirm the diagnosis by:
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Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart)
Doctors will also do:
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ECG (a painless test that measures the heart’s electrical currents and records them on a piece of paper)
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Chest x-rays
