Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

Tobacco is thought to influence a developing fetus in which of the following ways?

1. It causes the child to be born addicted to nicotine.

2. It exposes his/her developing lungs to smoke.

3. It causes abnormal growth of the placenta.

4. It enters the blood stream and causes birth defects.

The correct answer is: It causes abnormal growth of the placenta.

The statement about tobacco causing abnormal growth of the placenta is rooted in understanding how substances can affect fetal development. Research has shown that smoking during pregnancy can lead to issues with placental development, such as placental abruption or placenta previa, which can have serious implications for both the mother and the fetus. Abnormal placental growth can restrict oxygen and nutrient delivery to the developing fetus, potentially leading to low birth weight and other complications. The other options relate to legitimate concerns regarding tobacco use during pregnancy but do not accurately capture the primary influence. For example, while nicotine addiction is a risk, research has shown that babies are not born addicted in the same way that adult smokers experience addiction. Additionally, while exposure to smoke does affect lung development, it's not the primary focus of tobacco's impact on fetal development as seen with placental abnormalities. Lastly, the idea that tobacco enters the bloodstream and causes birth defects is somewhat valid, but it is more the resultant issues from suboptimal placental function that lead to these effects, rather than a direct correlation to a specific defect caused by tobacco itself.