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How many vertebrae are in the spine?

Humans are born with more vertebrae than they end up with later in life. Infants have 33, but some fuse together throughout childhood, leaving adults with 24. Some adults do have an extra vertebrae for a total of 25. The back is divided into the cervical spine (seven vertebrae), thoracic spine (12 vertebrae), lumbar spine (five vertebrae).

Reference: 

John R. Dimar II, MD, et al. Identification and Surgical Treatment of Primary Thoracic Spinal Stenosis. In The American Journal of Orthopedics. December 2008. Vol. 37. No. 11. Pp. 564-568.

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