- The number of unexplained infant deaths has been falling, provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics released last month suggest. There were 264 such deaths in 2007 across England and Wales, down seven per cent on the previous year
- Sids is the most common cause of death in babies over one-month-old with boys tending to be more at risk than girls. The risk is also greater for babies who are born prematurely, or who are born with a low birth weight. Although it is the most common cause of death in young babies, Sids is still very rare
- The exact cause of Sids is unknown but some studies have found an association between Sids and certain risk factors such as babies who are male, were born with a low birth weight or were born premature. Babies with siblings who have died of Sids are also more at risk, although it is rare for Sids to occur more than once in the same family. Exposing a baby to tobacco smoke can significantly increase the risk of Sids
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