Sleep-Related Infant Deaths in Victoria: A Retrospective Case Series Study
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Sleep-Related Infant Deaths in Victoria: A Retrospective Case Series Study Lyndal Bugeja1,2 • Jeremy Dwyer2 • Sara-Jane McIntyre2 • Jeanine Young3 Karen Lesley Stephan1 • Roderick John McClure4
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Published online: 9 December 2015 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract Background There is general agreement that in some circumstances, sharing a sleep surface of any kind with an infant increases the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy. There is a paucity of research conducted in Australia examining this issue. This study examines the frequency and distribution of sleep-related infant deaths in a defined population, and reports the proportion that occurred in the context of bed-sharing. Methods A retrospective population-based case series study was conducted of infants (B365 days) who died in a sleeping context during the period 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010 in the state of Victoria, Australia. Information about the infant, caregiver, sleeping environment and bed-sharing was collected from a review of the coroner’s death investigation record. Results During the 3-year study period, 72 & Lyndal Bugeja [email protected]
infant deaths occurred in a sleeping context. Of these, 33 (45.8 %) occurred in the context of bed-sharing: n = 7 in 2008; n = 11 in 2009; and n = 15 in 2010. Further analysis of the 33 deaths occurring in the context of bedsharing showed that in this group, bed-sharing was largely intentional, habitual and most often involved the mother as one of the parties. Conclusions Given the case series nature of the study design, a causal relationship between bedsharing and infant death could not be inferred. However the fact that nearly half of all sleep-related deaths occurred in the context of bed-sharing, provides strong support for the need to undertake definitive analytic studies in Australia so that evidence-based advice can be provided to families regarding the safety of bed-sharing practices. Keywords Infant Bed-sharing Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy Sudden infant death syndrome Fatal sleep accidents
Jeremy Dwyer [email protected] Sara-Jane McIntyre [email protected] Jeanine Young [email protected] Karen Lesley Stephan [email protected] Roderick John McClure [email protected] 1
Monash Injury Research Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
2
Coroners Court of Victoria, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia
3
University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
4
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Significance Bed-sharing with an infant is associated with an increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and fatal sleeping accidents. There is some agreement in the literature regarding factors that increase the risk of infant death in a bed-sharing context, however, there are differing views on the nature of the risk that is attributable to bed-sharing per se. There is a lack of consistency in
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