New CDC data highlights the importance of safe sleep practices in preventing infant deaths
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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that unsafe sleep factors were present in at least 73% of sudden unexpected infant deaths examined between 2020 and 2024. Common factors included soft bedding, sharing a sleeping surface, and placing babies on their stomachs or sides. To reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths, experts recommend placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm, flat mattress in a separate crib or bassinet, and keeping pillows, blankets, and stuffed toys out of the sleeping area. These simple precautions can help create a safer sleeping environment for infants.
Source
Parks SE, DeSisto CL, Kortsmit K, Bombard JM, Shapiro-Mendoza CK. Risk Factors for Suffocation and Unexplained Causes of Infant Deaths. Pediatrics. 2023 Jan 1;151(1):e2022057771. doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-057771. PMID: 36464994; PMCID: PMC9942004.
Additional Reading
https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/01/health/sudden-unexpected-infant-death-safe-sleep-wellness
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/03/31/sudden-infant-death-sleeping-risks/