passive immunity

Passive immunity occurs when your body receives protective antibodies from an external source rather than producing them itself. This can happen naturally, such as from a mother to her baby through breast milk or the placenta, or artificially through medical treatments like antibody injections or blood products. It provides immediate, short-term defense against specific infections or toxins but doesn’t create long-lasting immunity. Passive immunity is useful for rapid protection in certain situations, such as exposure to some diseases, but it doesn’t lead to the body developing a memory of the infection like active immunity does.