A Preterm Infant Has Just Been Admitted to the NICU

A preterm infant has just been admitted to the NICU. The infant's parents ask the nurse about anesthesia and analgesia when painful procedures are necessary. The nurse's explanation should be based on knowledge that:

A) Nerve pathways of neonates are not sufficiently myelinated to transmit painful stimuli.
B) Risk of anesthesia and analgesia is too great to justify any possible benefit of pain relief.
C) Neonates do not possess sufficiently integrated cortical function to interpret or recall pain experiences.
D) Pain pathways and neurochemical systems associated with pain transmission are intact and functional in neonates.