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A new CDC report found 73% of sudden unexpected infant deaths from 2020 to 2024 involved unsafe sleep factors, as experts urge safe sleep practices for babies.
Sudden unexpected infant death claimed the lives of about 3,400 babies in the United States in 2024, and a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly three-quarters of these deaths examined from 2020 through 2024 involved un safe sleep factors. The findings confirm that sudden unexpected infant death remains a major cause of mortality during infancy despite decades of public health efforts to promote safer sleep.
CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, spoke about the report and what parents and caregivers can do to reduce an infant's risk. Wen previously served as Baltimore's health commissioner and is the mother of two young children.
CDC Report Examines Sudden Infant Death Cases
Wen explained that sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID, is a general term for the sudden and unexpected death of a baby younger than 1 year. It includes sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, as well as accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and infant deaths for which the cause remains unknown.
For this report, the CDC analyzed 4,861 SUID cases that occurred between 2020 and 2024 in 31 jurisdictions around the country that participate in its case registry. This registry provides detailed information about the circumstances surrounding deaths that is not available from death certificates alone.
The main finding is that 73 per cent of the deaths were classified as having unsafe sleep factors. Looking at specific characteristics of the sleep environment, 78 per cent involved soft bedding; 75 per cent occurred on a sleep surface other than a crib or bassinet; 59 per cent involved sharing a sleep surface with another person or animal; and 46 per cent of infants were found sleeping on their stomach or side rather than their back. These categories overlap, so an infant could have had several of these risk factors.
There were also substantial racial disparities. Black infants accounted for 38 per cent of the deaths in the registry, and the CDC noted that sudden unexpected infant death disproportionately affects Black and American Indian or Alaska Native infants. The reasons are complex and can include differences in access to resources in order to consistently implement safe sleep practices.
Safe Sleep Practices for Infants
Wen said the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be placed on their backs for every sleep, including naps. The sleep surface should be firm, flat and designed for infant sleep, such as a crib, bassinet or portable crib that meets current federal safety standards.
The crib should be empty or nearly empty. Use a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet, without pillows, blankets, quilts, bumper pads or other soft objects. If parents are concerned about their baby being cold, they can use a wearable blanket or other well-fitting sleep clothing rather than putting a loose blanket in the crib.
The AAP recommends room-sharing without bedsharing, ideally for at least the first six months. That means the baby's crib or bassinet can be next to the parents' bed, which makes feeding and comforting easier, but the baby should sleep on a separate surface.
Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep. Tummy time is important for developing strength and motor skills, but it should take place only when the baby is awake and being actively supervised. Once babies can roll from their backs to their stomachs and back again on their own, parents do not need to keep repositioning them during sleep, but they should still place them on their backs at the beginning of every sleep.
Wen emphasized that these recommendations apply every time and everywhere the baby sleeps. It is not enough to have a safe crib at home if the baby sleeps differently at a grandparent's or babysitter's house. Everyone caring for an infant should follow the same practices, and families should stick to the practices when travelling.
Why Soft Bedding and Bed Sharing Are Dangerous
Wen explained that young infants have limited ability to move their heads and bodies if something interferes with their breathing. Soft bedding poses a particular danger because a pillow, blanket or other object can cover a baby's nose and mouth, and the infant may not be able to reposition themselves to breathe.
Sharing a sleep surface creates additional risks. An adult, child or animal can unintentionally roll onto the baby or otherwise obstruct the baby's airway. Infants can also become wedged between a mattress and a wall, headboard or other object. This is why adult beds are not considered safe sleep surfaces for infants.
Couches and armchairs can be even more dangerous. A baby can become trapped between cushions or between the sleeping adult and the furniture. The CDC report highlights that many of these deaths are preventable with consistent safe sleep practices.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death CDC Report Safe Sleep Dr Leana Wen SIDS Infant Mortality American Academy Of Pediatrics
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