St. Louis, Missouri – Unsafe sleep practices have been identified as the leading cause of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the United States. A recent study published in Pediatrics revealed that three-quarters of infants who died unexpectedly were exposed to multiple unsafe sleep practices, with nearly 60% sharing a sleep surface with another person at the time of death.
Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a tragic occurrence that claims the lives of around 3,400 infants annually in the U.S. These deaths encompass sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and other unknown causes. Infants sharing a sleep surface with adults or other children is strongly discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics due to the increased risk of such deaths.
The study, which focused on 7,595 infants who died from SUID between 2011 and 2020, highlighted concerning trends in bedsharing practices. Infants who were bedsharing at the time of death were more likely to be younger, non-Hispanic Black, and insured through Medicaid or other public plans. They were also often found lying on their back in an unsafe sleep environment, exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy, supervised by an impaired caregiver, and lacking a crib in the home.
Among infants not bedsharing, only a third were found sleeping in the recommended back position, with three-quarters surrounded by soft bedding like pillows and comforters. The majority of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the study were influenced by multiple unsafe sleep factors, emphasizing the importance of adhering to safe sleep guidelines.
Despite efforts to promote safe sleep practices, the rates of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the U.S. have seen minimal improvement over the past two decades. Racial disparities in these deaths have widened, particularly among non-Hispanic Black infants. The study underscores the preventability of such deaths by following guidelines outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
The challenge lies in ensuring that parents have the knowledge and resources to create safe sleep environments for their infants. Factors such as exhaustion, cultural practices, and lack of resources may impede parents from following recommended practices consistently. Health care providers play a crucial role in educating families and providing support, with programs in many cities offering free cribs to those in need.
Moving forward, additional research is needed to develop effective strategies for educating families about safe infant sleep. Targeting high-risk families, as identified in the study, is essential in reducing sudden unexpected infant deaths and addressing persistent racial-ethnic disparities in these tragedies. By engaging and educating parents from pregnancy through the early years of parenting, we can work towards eliminating preventable infant deaths and creating safer sleep environments for all infants.