Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today show that across England and Wales in 2013 there were 249 unexplained infant deaths, a rate of 0.36 per 1,000 live births.
This is up on the 2012 rate of 0.32 and comes after five years of falls since 2008, when the rate was 0.41.
Of the unexplained infant deaths, two thirds were recorded as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death. A third were labelled as “unascertained” with no cause of death recorded.
Risk factors in unexplained infant deaths include poverty, low birth weight, unplanned bed sharing and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Cold weather is another factor and the largest monthly rise in the unexplained infant death rate during 2013 was in February, when temperatures were below average.
Francine Bates, chief executive of SIDS charity The Lullaby Trust has called on the government to take urgent action to tackle the issue.
“Sudden infant death is devastating for families and we are deeply concerned to see that the number of unexplained deaths has risen in 2013, the first increase in five years,” she said.??
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