Risk Factors
Modifiable
The risk factors in New Zealand were established by the New Zealand Cot Death Study. These factors occurred in 82% of all SIDS mortality and postulated as being modifiable.
- Prone sleeping position
- Lack of breastfeeding
- Maternal smoking
- Sharing a bed (more..)
Further analysis of the data indicated that sharing a bed was only a significant factor when associated with maternal cigarette smoking.
Non Modifiable
There are a large number of factors that are termed “non-modifiable” that affect Maori families. These are also the common contributing factors in most incidences of SIDS in Maori babies.
- Low socio economic status
- Young maternal school leaving age
- Young motherhood
- Little or late use of antenatal care and education
- Low birth weight of baby
- Unmarried motherhood
- Young age at first pregnancy
- Prematurity
- Greater number of previous pregnancies
- Admission to neonatal intensive care unit
The Issue of Bedsharing
An abstract that raises the controversial issue of bedsharing
Bedsharing,
a valued practice for generations of Maori, was implicated by NZ
epidemiologists as a risk factor in SIDS. We, as health professionals
were charged with the responsibility of presenting a public health
message that was at the same time, acceptable in Maori communities and
cognizant of scientific opinion.
The thrust of our public health message regarding bedsharing changed
over the years. Research revealed more about the relative importance
of various risk factors for SIDS. In particular, the interaction
between bedsharing and cigarette smoking was of vital importance. New
paragraph
We began considering bedsharing to be an independent risk factor. Then
it was discovered that the bedsharing was a major risk in the presence
of cigarette smoking. On its own the risk was almost negligible.
Finally, the realisation that smoking in pregnancy (not environmental
smoke) was the culprit in the bedsharing/cigarette smoking risk led us
to our present health promotion messages.
We presently promote ‘Safe Sleeping Environments for Infants’. We do not counsel against bedsharing at all where there was a smoke-free pregnancy. We advise that where mother smoked during pregnancy, the baby can be cuddled, fed and cradled in bed but that when the parents go to sleep, the baby should be placed, on their back in a cot free of potential suffocants like bumpers, toys, pillows and loose blankets.
Bedsharing Among Maoris – An indigenous Tradition (PDF 13KB)
This article presents Maori perspective on bedsharing.
Bedsharing and smoking same problem (PDF 21KB)
A significant article that counteracts claims against bedsharing and
fully explains the deadly combination of bedsharing and maternal
smoking.
Bed-sharing not all bad for baby, says study (PDF 14KB)
A media article about bedsharing from 2006.
