ORLAND, FL – Unsafe sleep practices are a leading cause of sudden unexpected infant deaths, with a recent study revealing that three-quarters of infants who died were affected by multiple unsafe practices. Nearly 60% of these infants were found sharing a sleep surface with another person at the time of death.

Sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID, claims the lives of about 3,400 infants in the United States annually. This includes deaths from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and other unknown causes.

Sharing a sleep surface with parents, other adults, or other infants is strongly discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other agencies due to the increased risk of these tragic deaths. However, the study conducted on 7,595 infants who died from SUID between 2011 and 2020 highlighted the concerning prevalence of bedsharing among affected infants.

Characteristics of infants who were bedsharing at the time of death included being 0 to 3 months old, non-Hispanic Black, insured by Medicaid or other public plans, and exposed to maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Additionally, these infants were more likely to be supervised by someone impaired by drugs or alcohol and did not have a crib in the home.

Despite recommendations for safe infant sleep, the study found that only one-third of nonsharing infants in the study were sleeping in the recommended back position. Three-quarters of nonsharing infants were also in sleep areas with soft bedding, increasing the risk of sudden unexpected infant deaths.

Efforts to address these alarming statistics include providing free cribs to families in need and ongoing research to educate parents on safe sleep practices. It is crucial for healthcare providers to consider cultural beliefs and preferences when advising families on safe sleep practices to prevent these tragic deaths.

Further research is needed to determine the most effective ways to educate families about safe infant sleep and reduce the persistent racial-ethnic disparities in sudden unexpected infant deaths. By focusing on high-risk families, we can work towards eliminating these preventable deaths and creating a safer sleep environment for all infants.