cot death

Death of an apparently healthy baby, almost always during sleep. It is most common in the winter months, and strikes more boys than girls. The cause is not known but risk factors that have been identified include prematurity, respiratory infection, overheating, and sleeping position. In August 2001, it was announced that smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of cot death by a factor of 15.

There was a 30% reduction in cot deaths in the USA 1994–96, following a health campaign promoting putting babies to sleep on their backs or sides, not on their fronts. However, around 2,500 infants still die annually through cot death in the USA (2000).