{
  "release_id": "c7fb95f1d15a7d13",
  "id": "maternal:sudden-unexpected-infant-death",
  "owner": "maternal",
  "kind": "condition",
  "slug": "sudden-unexpected-infant-death",
  "name": "Sudden infant death syndrome and sleep-related infant death",
  "aliases": [],
  "atlases": [
    "maternal"
  ],
  "summary_plain": "Sometimes a baby younger than one year dies suddenly and unexpectedly. When a full investigation finds no cause, the death is called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Safe sleep steps can lower the risk. Sleep itself does not cause SIDS.",
  "summary_technical": "NICHD defines SIDS as the sudden death of a baby younger than 1 year that has no known cause even after a full investigation (complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and review of the clinical history). Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is the umbrella category for all sudden, unexpected infant deaths, whether from a known cause such as an injury or accident or an unknown cause such as SIDS. About 3,000 SUIDs occur in the United States each year, and more than 1 in 3 are SIDS (see the claim on this page). MedlinePlus says the cause of SIDS is unknown, that it is the leading cause of death between one month and one year, and lists steps to reduce risk. MedlinePlus and NICHD both list feeding human milk among the steps that lower the risk. The recipient is the infant.",
  "editorial_state": "draft",
  "last_substantive_edit": "2026-10-14",
  "last_evidence_check": "2026-10-14",
  "next_review_due": null,
  "identifiers": [],
  "navigation": {
    "maternal": {
      "life-stage": [
        "infant-follow-up"
      ],
      "care-area": [
        "infant-health"
      ]
    }
  },
  "payload": {
    "recognition": null,
    "assessment": "NICHD says a death is categorised as SIDS by a medical examiner or coroner when the investigation cannot determine a cause or explain why the baby died.",
    "burden_claims": [
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  },
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      "owner": "maternal",
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      "category": "burden",
      "statement": "NICHD describes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as the sudden death of a baby younger than 1 year of age that does not have a known cause, even after a full investigation. Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is the wider group: all sudden, unexpected infant deaths, whether from a known cause such as an injury or accident or from an unknown cause such as SIDS. About 3,000 SUIDs occur in the United States every year, and more than 1 in 3 of them are from SIDS.",
      "context": {
        "id": "maternal:ctx-us-infants-under-1-year-and-caregivers-safe-sleep",
        "label": "Infants younger than 1 year in the United States and their caregivers (NICHD Safe to Sleep)",
        "recipient": "child",
        "population": "Babies younger than 1 year of age and the people who care for them. The Safe to Sleep campaign addresses parents, grandparents, other relatives, babysitters, child care providers and anyone who might care for a baby. Counts on the page are for the United States.",
        "care_setting": "Home and child care sleep settings (the page lists parents, babysitters and child care providers).",
        "geography": "United States (NICHD campaign)",
        "life_stage_note": "Newborn and infant, younger than 1 year",
        "life_stage_terms": {
          "maternal": [
            "newborn",
            "infant-follow-up"
          ]
        },
        "gestational_age_min_days": null,
        "gestational_age_max_days": null,
        "gestational_age_basis": null,
        "postnatal_age_min_days": null,
        "postnatal_age_max_days": null,
        "gestational_age_status": null,
        "postnatal_age_status": null,
        "followup_description": "Not applicable (guidance and national counts)",
        "eligibility": {
          "inclusion": [
            "Infants younger than 1 year"
          ],
          "exclusion": [
            "The page notes babies born preterm or with certain health conditions may need different care"
          ]
        }
      },
      "evidence_stage": "observational",
      "certainty": "not_assessed",
      "certainty_method": null,
      "limitations": "The counts are from a NICHD page that cites a 2024 CDC data page, which the atlas did not read; the page does not say which year the counts refer to, and it gives rounded figures. The page does not give a rate per births. The definition of SIDS depends on an investigation, so a death that is later explained is not counted as SIDS.",
      "editorial_state": "draft",
      "checked_at": "2026-10-14",
      "next_review_due": null,
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          "locator": "What is SIDS?, paragraph 1",
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            "edition": "The page as shown on 2026-10-14. The page carries no edition date. Its United States counts are cited on the page to a 2024 CDC data page, which the atlas did not read.",
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        {
          "evidence_role": "supports",
          "locator": "Is it always SIDS?, paragraph 3",
          "applicability_note": "Definition of SUID.",
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        {
          "evidence_role": "supports",
          "locator": "How common is SIDS?, sentence 1",
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