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Ways to Reduce Risks and Prevent SIDS

Abr 14, 2022

What is SIDS? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby younger than 1-year-old. A diagnosis of SIDS is made if the baby’s death remains unexplained even after a death scene investigation, an autopsy, and a review of the clinical history.

SIDS is a mysterious syndrome. By its very definition, the cause cannot be determined. But certain SIDS risk factors do exist. SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between 1 month and 1 year of age. About 2,300 babies in the United States die of SIDS each year. For Wichita and the surrounding Kansas area, a recent study shows that infant mortality across all races has been decreasing in Sedgwick County, but only non-Hispanic white infant deaths have declined below 5 deaths per 1,000 live births. Meanwhile, the rate among Hispanic births is 6.4 deaths per 1,000 live births and the rate among non-Hispanic Black births is 10.7 deaths per 1,000 live births.

A graph showing the U.S. Rates of SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Causes of Infant Death from 1990-2016.

Some babies are more at risk for SIDS than others. For example, SIDS is more likely to affect a baby who is between 1 and 4 months old, it is more common in boys than girls, and most deaths occur during the fall, winter, and early spring months.

By understanding SIDS risk factors, scheduling a prenatal consultation, having regular prenatal visits throughout pregnancy, and taking preventative steps to reduce risk of SIDS in babies — we can work toward preventing SIDS.

Causes of SIDS and SIDS Risk Factors

Facts About SIDS

¡HealthCore Clinic is dedicated to reducing infant deaths through comprehensive prenatal care, early childhood check-ups, pediatric care, education, and access to care regardless of financial situation and healthcare. Understanding SIDS risk factors and causes of SIDS while providing increased access to prenatal visits can reduce risk of SIDS and lower the chances of families being plagued by sudden infant death syndrome in our communities.

SIDS Risk Factors

SIDS is a sudden and silent medical disorder that can happen to an infant who seems healthy. SIDS is sometimes called “crib death” or “cot death” because it is associated with the time when the baby is sleeping. Cribs themselves don’t cause SIDS, but the baby’s sleep environment can influence sleep-related causes of death. Factors that can place a baby at higher risk of dying from SIDS include the following:

Causes of SIDS

As stated before, SIDS is a mysterious syndrome and the cause cannot be fully determined. Children’s researchers have uncovered strong evidence that SIDS has a biological basis, and are continuing to work towards determining the underlying causes and identifying at-risk babies.

Diagnosing SIDS

A baby is determined to have died from SIDS if no cause of death can be identified following a death scene investigation, an autopsy, and a review of the clinical history. Thus, SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion: SIDS as a cause of death is determined only when all other causes have been excluded.

Ways To Reduce Risk of SIDS With Precautions and Regular Prenatal Visits

Preventing or Reducing the Risk of SIDS

Because medical professionals are still researching the possible causes of SIDS, there is currently no way to “prevent” the syndrome from occurring. However, research shows that there are several ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death. You can vastly reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS by doing the following:

Make sure everyone who cares for your baby knows the ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death.

Prenatal Care and Pediatric Doctors in Wichita, KS

Prenatal Consultations with Pediatrician

Early and regular prenatal care can help reduce risk of SIDS in babies. Proper nutrition, no smoking or drug or alcohol use by the mother, and frequent medical checkups beginning early in pregnancy might help prevent a baby from developing an abnormality that could put them at risk for sudden death.

Regular prenatal visits throughout your pregnancy help to catch potential concerns early and reduce the risk of pregnancy and birth complications.

If you are pregnant, schedule a prenatal consultation with the HealthCore Clinic prenatal team today. The HealthCore Clinic prenatal care team includes OB-GYN Care, Family Medicine providers, Wesley Family Medicine residents, and Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM). We offer comprehensive checkups throughout your pregnancy to help keep you and your future baby healthy.

¡HealthCore Clinic is unlike most medical offices you’re familiar with. Our patients are more actively engaged in improving their health, and their baby’s health, through a team-based approach. We encourage you to become a partner with your prenatal care team to manage your and your baby’s care in a way that is best for you and your baby.

Our integrated care approach means that you have convenient, affordable access to improve your whole health and wellness — with all your prenatal care services under one roof including medical, behavioral, ultrasounds, lab, pharmacy, and more.

The systems in our body are connected, so why should your prenatal care be fragmented? It shouldn’t. Schedule an appointment with our prenatal care team today and see why HealthCore Clinic’s integrated approach to care is Wichita’s premier choice for expecting mothers.

African American woman playing with her baby on a bed.

ENFOQUE DE HEALTHCORE CLINIC PARA EL CUIDADO PRENATAL

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¡HealthCore Clinic tiene todas sus necesidades del cuidado prenatal bajo un mismo techo, incluyendo médicos, salud mental, ultrasonidos, laboratorio, farmacia y más.

El equipo del cuidado prenatal de HealthCore Clinic incluye atención obstetra y ginecológica, proveedores de medicina familiar, residentes de Wesley Family Medicine y enfermeras parteras certificadas (CNM). Ofrecemos revisiones completas durante todo el embarazo para ayudar a mantenerlo a usted y a su futuro bebé sanos.

El cuidado prenatal regular durante todo el embarazo ayuda a detectar posibles preocupaciones a tiempo y reduce el riesgo de complicaciones del embarazo y del parto. Tan pronto como sospeche que está embarazada, haga una cita con el equipo prenatal de HealthCore Clinic.