Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) refers to the sudden death of an infant under the age of one that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation. That investigation
would include an autopsy, examination of the death scene and a review of the infant's clinical history. The confounding nature of these deaths makes SIDS prevention a vital area of research and one of tremendous interest to parents.

In a typical SIDS situation parents check on their infant, expecting to find him or her sleeping. Instead they find a dead child. It is the worse tragedy parents can face and it leaves a void and a sadness in their lives forever. The medical profession can't tell them why their baby died, so they blame themselves or sometimes innocent other people. Both the topic of SIDS and statistics on deaths are more than enough to scare parents.

In the United States the annual SIDS rate per 1,000 live births has dropped steadily since 1983. That year it was 1.46 per 1,000 births, while in 2001 it dropped to .56. Even though that represents a decrease of more than 50 percent, there are still approximately 2,500 deaths per year in the U.S. and thousands more elsewhere in the w orld.

Risk Can Be Reduced
Medical research is not at a point where parents can be told absolutely what to do to prevent a SIDS death or event the exact causes of SIDS, but there are some preventative measures they can take to reduce the risk.

These measures include early visits to the doctor when you know you are pregnant, and the sooner the better. Following the first visit to the doctor your physician will schedule regular checkups throughout the pregnancy.

You should also make good nutritional choices during pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of premature birth, which is a major SIDS risk factor. Avoid smoking, using cocaine or heroin because all three increase the infant's risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Avoid Teen Pregnancies
Women should avoid becoming pregnant during their teen years. Consider abstinence from sexual activity or use reliable birth control methods. If you have a child and you're still a teenager, make sure another pregnancy does not occur. Teenage mothers with more than one child face an even greater risk for SIDS deaths. After the age of 20 mothers face a greatly reduced risk of losing a child to SIDS. Pregnancies no closer together than a year are recommended and longer periods are even better.

Although your baby may sleep better on its stomach, avoid the temptation and put the child to bed on its back. Soft mattresses should be avoided. Tummy time can take place during the day to help the infant learn head and neck control and to help him or her learn to roll over.

Finally, police your own habits. Do not smoke in the house. Babies exposed to second-hand smoke have a greater SIDS risk. If you are a smoker, take your cigarettes outside.