Final answer:
Smoking tobacco during pregnancy can lead to health complications such as premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) because nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarettes reduce oxygen levels in the baby's blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a mother smokes during pregnancy, the developing fetus may experience a number of health issues. Among these are premature birth, low-birth-weight infants, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The presence of nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarettes are harmful as they can lead to reduced oxygen in the baby's bloodstream, potentially interfering with healthy development.
The SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING clearly states that smoking may complicate pregnancy, implying the significance of these adverse outcomes. Moreover, smoking can also contribute to fertility issues in women and ineffective treatment with certain medications due to increased liver enzyme levels. This emphasizes the need for expecting mothers to avoid smoking to decrease the risk of these serious health complications for both themselves and their offspring.