Unexplained infant deaths rise for first time in five years

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.??

“It is shocking that the UK has one of the highest infant death rates in Europe. We call on government and all agencies to urgently develop a national strategy to reduce these deaths and reinforce safer sleep messages to all parents, especially young parents.”

The ONS figures show that teenage parents are an increasingly at-risk group. The rate of infant deaths affecting mothers under the age of 20 increased from 0.92 to 1.27 per 1,000 births between 2012 and 2013. This is four times greater than the rate among mothers aged 20 or over.

The latest figures also show a reduction in the proportion of unexplained deaths among boys, from 64 per cent in 2012 to 55 per cent in 2013.

In June Public Health England, which campaigns on improving public health, called for all professionals working with children to receive training to help prevent SIDS.