[Prone position and unexpected sudden infant death]

Abstract

The authors have discovered that in all the epidemiological surveys, 80 to 90% of SIDS happen when the infant is lying prone and at the age of 2 or 3 months when the infant is able to turn his head. Comparing the position of infants who died of SIDS with that generally pertaining to infants in the region, they found a good correlation between SIDS and the prone position. It seems that SIDS is a multifactorial syndrome in which asphyxia has been abandoned too readily in favour of other causes which have not been proven. They would like similar surveys to be carried out. Pending the results of these studies and taking into account the other disadvantages of the prone position, they recommend a return to laying the baby on his side in a traditional fashion.