IngentaConnect Bed-sharing in the first four months of life: a risk factor for s...

Authors: Ruys, Jan H¹; de Jonge, Guus A²; Brand, Ronald³; Engelberts, Adèle C⁴; Semmekrot, Ben A⁵

Source: Acta Pædiatrica, Volume 96, Number 10, October 2007 , pp. 1399-1403(5)

Abstract:

Aim: To investigate the risk of sudden infant death in the Netherlands during bed-sharing in the first half year of life and the protective effect of breastfeeding on it.

Methods: During a 10-year period between September 1996 and September 2006 nationwide, 213 cot deaths were investigated.

Results and discussion: Of 138 cot deaths of less than 6 months of age, 36 (26%) bed-shared. In a reference group of 1628 babies from infant welfare centres only 9.4% were bed-sharing in the night prior to the interview.

After correction for smoking of one or both parents the odds ratio for cot death during bed-sharing with parents decreased with age from 9.1 (CI 4.2-19.4) at 1 month, to 4.0 (CI 2.3-6.7) at 2 months, to 1.7 (CI 0.9-3.4) at 3 months and to 1.3 (CI 1.0-1.6) at 4 through 5 months of age. The excess risk (OR > 1) associated with bed-sharing is itself not significantly influenced by the presence or absence of breastfeeding.

Conclusion: Bed-sharing is a serious risk factor for sudden infant death for all babies of less than 4 months of age. From 4 months onwards bed-sharing did not contribute significantly to the risk of cot death anymore in our study.

Document Type: Regular article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00413.x

Affiliations: 1: Em. Professor of Paediatrics, formerly Leiden University Medical Center, Reviuslaan 38, 2343 JR Oegstgeest, the Netherlands 2: Em. Professor of Paediatrics, formerly Free University, Amsterdam, Prins Bernhardlaan 50, 2341 KL Oegstgeest, the Netherlands 3: Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Postbox 9604, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands 4: Paediatrician, Maasland Hospital, Postbox 5500, 6130 MB Sittard, the Netherlands 5: Paediatrician-neonatologist, Department of Paediatrics, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Postbox 9015, 6500 GS Nijmegen, the Netherlands

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$50.16 plus tax Refund Policy

Bed-sharing in the first four months of life: a risk factor for sudden infant death