when ready-made antibodies are directly given to protect the body against foreign agents, the process is called passive immunity The sources specifically identify the transfer of antibodies from a mother to her foetus through the placenta during pregnancy, and the provision of IgA antibodies to an infant through colostrum (mother's milk), as key examples of passive immunity This is distinct from active immunity, which is slower and occurs when a host is directly exposed to antigens and produces its own antibodies