That means there's no need to pump blood to the lungs. The blood passes through the aortic valve, which also closes when the left ventricle relaxes.īecause a baby in the womb isn't breathing, the lungs aren't working yet. The left ventricle pumps the oxygen-rich blood through the body's largest blood vessel (aorta) and on to the rest of the body. The left lower chamber (left ventricle).The left atrium receives the oxygen-rich blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins and pumps it into the left ventricle through the mitral valve.

The blood is pumped through the pulmonary valve, which closes when the right ventricle relaxes between beats. The right ventricle pumps the blood through a large vessel called the pulmonary artery and into the lungs, where the blood is resupplied with oxygen and carbon dioxide is removed from the blood. The right lower chamber (right ventricle).The right atrium receives oxygen-poor blood from your body and pumps it into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. The right upper chamber (right atrium).Your heart has four chambers that pump blood: Understanding how the heart works may help you understand the role of the foramen ovale before birth. It's unclear what causes the foramen ovale to stay open in some people, though genetics may play a role. The heart valves, which keep blood flowing in the right direction, are gates at the chamber openings. The lower chambers, the more muscular right and left ventricles, pump blood out of the heart. The upper chambers, the right and left atria, receive incoming blood. A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers.

Heart pro iii