This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Misinformation increases the risk of SIDS
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Mothers who believe their babies are uncomfortable or more likely to choke when sleeping on their backs are more likely to place them in other positions, thereby increasing their risk for SIDS. In contrast, those who receive consistent advice from physicians, nurses and the media to place their babies to sleep on their backs are likely to follow this recommendation, according to a recently published study.
Isabelle Von Kohorn, MD, of Yale University, and colleagues conducted face-to-face interviews with 2,299 predominantly black mothers of infants younger than 8 months between 2006 and 2008. The mothers reported what advice they had received and their personal beliefs about infant sleep position.
A total of 1,408 mothers (61%) reported usually placing their infants on their backs to sleep, 489 usually placed them on their sides, 390 usually placed them on their stomachs and 12 used another position.
Most mothers received no advice from family, friends or the media about sleep position; physicians reportedly advised women to use only supine sleep positions for their infants 56% of the time. Women who had higher advice scores — meaning they received advice from multiple sources that recommended placing babies to sleep on their backs — were more likely to use the supine sleep position. According to the study, of the 559 mothers who had a negative advice score, 36% placed their infants in the supine position, whereas of the 439 mothers with an extremely positive advice score, 85% placed their infant in the supine position to sleep.
Von Kohorn I. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010; 164: 363-369.