Scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta found that babies who sleep in a separate room from adults have the highest risk of unexplained infant death. The research was published in the journal pediatrics.
The study’s authors analyzed data on sudden infant death cases in the United States between 2016 and 2017. In total, they found 112 cases of sleep-related drowning and 300 unexplained infant deaths.
Researchers found that children who were left alone in the room during sleep had an 18.7% chance of suffocation or unexplained infant death.
After adjusting for other infant and maternal factors, placing the adult and infant in the same room protected against infant mortality. At the same time, sleeping on one surface was not a protective factor, but a risk factor for infant death. Other risk factors include sleeping in a non-supine position and the use of soft bedding (blankets, toys, and other sleep aids).