Most of the time, PFO itself causes no symptoms. Sometimes symptoms do result from the complications of PFO, like stroke.The skilled team of cardiologists at The Heart Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland provides diagnosis and treatment for patent foramen ovale. Patent foramen ovale symptoms manifest as migraines, shortness of breath when getting up and standing, and a higher risk for certain kinds of strokes. Infants with a PFO and no other heart defects do not have symptoms. Some adults with PFOs also suffer from migraine headaches. A patent foramen ovale is a small, flaplike opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart. The larger the hole, the more likely symptoms are. PFOs, on the other hand, are normal before birth but may fail to close after birth. Although PFO is present in approximately 25 percent of the population, many people do not experience symptoms.