CDC Releases Vital Signs On Safe Sleep For Babies

January 16, 2018

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In the 1990s, there was a sharp decline in sleep-related deaths after recommendations were introduced to place babies on their back for sleep.

The CDC Vital Signs series, launched in 2010, addresses a single, important public health topic each month. This month’s edition presents our latest findings on safe sleep for babies using the most recent data from CDC’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) from 2015.

In the 1990s, there was a sharp decline in sleep-related deaths after recommendations were introduced to place babies on their back for sleep. However, the declines have slowed since the late 1990s and the number of sleep-related deaths among U.S. babies remains at about 3,500 deaths yearly.

Following safe sleep practices as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is important to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, but according to the Vital Signs report, researchers found that unsafe sleep practices with babies are common.

One in five (22%) mothers reported not placing their baby on his or her back to sleep.
More than half of mothers (61%) reported bed sharing with their baby.
Two in five (39%) mothers reported using soft bedding in the baby’s sleep environment.

Learn more and visit the Vital Signs webpage to find the MMWR article, fact sheet, and other materials. Take advantage of CDC’s social media tools, such as the Vital Signs buttons and email updates.

For more information on safe sleep practices, see the AAP Policy Statement “SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment.” Parents and other caregivers may find it helpful to visit the Safe to Sleep® website for additional information and materials.