A woman smokes cigarettes regularly throughout her pregnancy. Her baby is born at 36 weeks gestation and has a significantly lower birth weight than average for that gestational age. Based on this information, explain the most likely physiological connection between the mother's habit and the baby's health outcomes.

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Smoking during pregnancy is considered a teratogenic activity because nicotine can pass through the placenta to the fetus, which results in reduced blood oxygen levels for the developing baby. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified several potential consequences of this exposure, including premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Prenatal Risks of Smoking

Another study also found that prenatal exposure to smoke also increased the risk of developing schizophrenia by 29%. 

Study of Prenatal Exposure to Smoke

A physician is examining a newborn who has a significantly low birth weight and displays symptoms consistent with receiving insufficient oxygen during development. Which of the following maternal behaviors during pregnancy is the most direct and well-established cause for this specific combination of outcomes?

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