EPIDEMIOLOGY

Infants who sleep on their stomachs are more likely to die of SIDS than those who sleep on their backs. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are over three times more likely to have a SIDS baby, and exposure to passive smoke from smoking by mothers, fathers, and others in the household also significantly increases a baby's risk. Other risk factors include mothers who are less than 20 years old at the time of their first pregnancy, and premature or low birth weight infants.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended since 1992 that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS. The back position confers the lowest risk. Since that time, the frequency of prone sleeping has decreased from >70% to approximately 20% of U.S.A. infants, and the incidence rate for SIDS has decreased from 1.20 per 1,000 live births in 1992, to 0.53 per 1,000 live births in 2000. However, SIDS remains the leading cause of infant death beyond the neonatal period, and there are still several potentially modifiable risk factors (please refer to the risk reduction section of this web site). [American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Infant Sleep Position and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Changing concepts of sudden infant death syndrome: Implications for infant sleeping environment and sleep position (RE9946) March 2000, Pediatrics 105 (3):650-656]

Nationally, African-Americans, American Indians, and Native Alaskans have higher SIDS incidence rates. SIDS occurs more in male infants (approx. 60%) than female infants.