UK: Fall in number of 'cot deaths'

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Fall in number of 'cot deaths'

Last Modified: 28 Aug 2008

Source: PA News

The number of babies dying from unexplained causes, including cot death, has

fallen to the lowest level since records began, new figures show.

There were 281 unexplained infant deaths in England and Wales in 2006, down

from 440 in 1996 - a 36% drop.

In just one year there was a 14% drop, from 325 deaths in 2005 to the 281 in

2006, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

The rate of unexplained infant deaths has also fallen to its lowest level

since the figures were first compiled in 1995.

In 1995, the death rate was over 0.6 per 1,000 live births. But in just one

year, between 2005 and 2006, it fell by 16%, from 0.5 to 0.42 deaths.

Unexplained infant deaths include sudden infant deaths - commonly called cot

deaths - and those where the cause of death is unascertained or unknown

after a full investigation.

Thursday's figures also showed that the infant death rate for boys was 1.3

times higher than for girls over the period 2002 to 2006.

In the same time frame, 20% of all unexplained deaths occurred in the first

27 days of life while 65% of all unexplained deaths occurred in the first

three months.

In 2006, the unexplained infant death rate was highest for babies born

outside marriage where only the mother registered the birth (1.3 per 1,000

live births). This was six times higher than the rate for babies born inside

marriage (0.21 per 1,000 live births).

Also in 2006, the unexplained infant death rate for babies of mothers born

in England and Wales (0.42 per 1,000 live births) was almost twice the rate

for babies of mothers born outside England and Wales (0.24 per 1,000 live

births).