Anatomy & Physiology Question #15


Which statement is an example of passive immunity?


  1. A child bitten by a rabid animal receives an injection of rabies antibodies.
    • Rationale:
  2. Antibodies pass from mother to the developing child in the womb or in breast milk
    • Rationale:
  3. A child receives the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
    • Rationale:
  4. An adult contracts a streptococcus infection and recovers in a couple of weeks.
    • Rationale:



The correct answer is B. During the last 3 months of pregnancy, antibodies from the mother are passed to the unborn baby through the placenta and can be expressed in breast milk. This type of immunity is called passive immunity. The other statements are examples of active immunity responses.

Learning Outcomes

Test Taking Tip

Video Rationale