At birth what three parts of the body are fully functioning to support the infant?

• A. The lungs, heart, and kidneys
• B. The brain, heart, and spinal cord
• C. The stomach, brain, and lungs
• D. The liver, heart, and brain

Answer: (B)

Newborn survival depends on systems that can immediately maintain circulation, breathing, and reflexive responses. The heart keeps blood flowing to deliver oxygen and nutrients, while the brain and spinal cord regulate breathing, heart rate, and the quick reflexes a baby needs to latch, root, and interact with its surroundings. These systems are ready to support the infant right at birth. The lungs will begin gas exchange as the baby takes its first breaths, but the transition requires adaptation after birth, so they aren’t yet functioning as a fully independent life-support system in that instant. Other organs like the kidneys or stomach are still maturing and aren’t meeting full functional demands immediately. So the combination that supports the infant at birth is the brain, heart, and spinal cord.