Embryological cardiovascular development

The development of the human cardiovascular system is an incredibly complex series of events. For the most part, the sequence of events proceeds normally. The March of Dimes has catalogued incidences of birth anomalies. Since the development of the heart and vasculature must occur in a sequential fashion, early anomalies can have grave consequences. The March of Dimes statistics for the United States show that birth defects involving the cardiovascular system are the highest in prevalence (1:115 births).

As medical students, it is important to have an appreciation for the normal development of the cardiovascular system in-utero, so as to allow for appropriate and timely diagnosis of affected children.