Unexplained infant deaths at record low
Vesela Gladicheva
Thursday, August 23, 2012
The number of unexplained infant deaths in England and Wales has fallen to an all time low, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show, but the North West continues to have a higher rate than other areas of the country.
There were 254 unexplained infant deaths in England and Wales in 2010, a rate of 0.35 deaths per 1,000 live births – a slight drop from 0.40 the previous year.
Unexplained infant deaths include both sudden infant death syndrome, commonly known as 'cot death', and deaths for which the cause remains unascertained after a full investigation.
The major risks for unexplained infant deaths are maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke.
The Office for National Statistics report show that unexplained infant deaths accounted for 8 per cent of all infant deaths in 2010. The highest rate was among babies between 28 days and two months old.
The rate of unexplained infant deaths was also higher among boys than girls. In 2010, the unexplained infant death rate for boys was 0.40 per 1,000 live births, which accounted for 59 per cent of all unexplained infant deaths. In comparison, the unexplained death rate for girls was 0.30 per 1,000 live births.
More than a third (34 per cent) of unexplained infant deaths occurred over the winter, while just over a fifth (21 per cent) were in the summer.
The North West of England had the highest rate of unexplained infant deaths (0.53 per 1,000 live births) in 2010, significantly higher than London which had the lowest at 0.21.
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) is now calling for more local campaigning in the North West of England.
The charity’s chief executive, Francine Bates, said, ‘Although we have seen a small reduction in the number of deaths across England and Wales, the figure for the North West is extremely concerning.
‘The region has had the highest rate for the last seven years.’
The charity aims to halve the number of unexplained infant deaths by 2020 through its Reduce the Risk campaigns that focus on the dangers of smoking to babies.
Unexplained infant deaths include both sudden infant death syndrome, commonly known as 'cot death', and deaths for which the cause remains unascertained after a full investigation.
The major risks for unexplained infant deaths are maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke.
The Office for National Statistics report show that unexplained infant deaths accounted for 8 per cent of all infant deaths in 2010. The highest rate was among babies between 28 days and two months old.
The rate of unexplained infant deaths was also higher among boys than girls. In 2010, the unexplained infant death rate for boys was 0.40 per 1,000 live births, which accounted for 59 per cent of all unexplained infant deaths. In comparison, the unexplained death rate for girls was 0.30 per 1,000 live births.
More than a third (34 per cent) of unexplained infant deaths occurred over the winter, while just over a fifth (21 per cent) were in the summer.
The North West of England had the highest rate of unexplained infant deaths (0.53 per 1,000 live births) in 2010, significantly higher than London which had the lowest at 0.21.
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) is now calling for more local campaigning in the North West of England.
The charity’s chief executive, Francine Bates, said, ‘Although we have seen a small reduction in the number of deaths across England and Wales, the figure for the North West is extremely concerning.
‘The region has had the highest rate for the last seven years.’
The charity aims to halve the number of unexplained infant deaths by 2020 through its Reduce the Risk campaigns that focus on the dangers of smoking to babies.
