Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths: 2015-2020.
Carrie K Shapiro-Mendoza1, Kate R Woodworth2, Carri R Cottengim1
1Division of Reproductive Health.
Pediatrics
|March 13, 2023
Summary
The sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rate rose in 2020, but overall sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) rates did not. Diagnostic shifts likely explain the SIDS increase, but rising SUID in Black infants needs monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The US infant mortality rate reached a record low in 2020.
- However, the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rate saw an increase from 2019 to 2020.
- This rise prompted an investigation into potential causes, including changes in death certification and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) rates overall, by cause, and by race and ethnicity between 2015 and 2020.
- To determine if the 2019-2020 increase in SIDS was linked to diagnostic shifts or the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To assess trends in SUID rates among different racial and ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized US period-linked birth and death data from 2015 to 2020 to estimate SUID rates.
- SUID included SIDS, unknown cause, and accidental suffocation/strangulation in bed.
- Analyzed changes from 2019 to 2020, prepandemic trends (2015-2019), and quantified COVID-19-related SUID.
Main Results:
- The SIDS rate significantly increased from 2019 to 2020, reversing a prior declining trend.
- The overall SUID rate did not significantly change between 2019 and 2020.
- SUID rates significantly increased for non-Hispanic Black infants, widening existing disparities; few SUID cases were linked to COVID-19.
Conclusions:
- Diagnostic shifting is a likely explanation for the increased SIDS rate in 2020.
- The reasons for the SUID increase among non-Hispanic Black infants require further investigation and monitoring.
- Targeted interventions are necessary to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in SUID.
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