In newborns, the spinal cord ends at which vertebral level?

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Multiple Choice

In newborns, the spinal cord ends at which vertebral level?

Explanation:
Newborns have the spinal cord ending lower in the vertebral column than adults. The conus medullaris is at about the third lumbar vertebra at birth. This happens because the vertebral column lengthens rapidly after birth while the spinal cord grows only slowly, so the cord ends move upward as the child develops. By about one year of age it lies near the second lumbar level, and in an adult it typically ends at roughly the first to second lumbar vertebra.

Newborns have the spinal cord ending lower in the vertebral column than adults. The conus medullaris is at about the third lumbar vertebra at birth. This happens because the vertebral column lengthens rapidly after birth while the spinal cord grows only slowly, so the cord ends move upward as the child develops. By about one year of age it lies near the second lumbar level, and in an adult it typically ends at roughly the first to second lumbar vertebra.

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