The number of cot deaths in England and Wales fell by 15% between 2004 and 2005, provisional figures show.The Office for National Statistics has released data that shows the rate fell from 0.48 to 0.41 deaths per 1,000 live births.
They also show that, between 2001 and 2005, 58% of cot deaths were boys, even though 51% of all live births are boys.
In 2005, the cot death rate was highest for babies born outside marriage where only the mother registered the birth. The rate for this group was 1.20 per 1,000 live births - six times higher than the rate for babies born inside marriage (0.19 per 1,000).
Between 2001 and 2005, 63% of all unexplained deaths occurred in babies aged less than three months.
For babies born within marriage, the unexplained infant death rate increased with the number of previous births. In 2005, the rate for babies of mothers with two or more previous births (0.34 per 1,000 live births) was three times the rate of babies with no previous births (0.10 per 1,000).
Trend
Good advice appears to be contributory to the marked drop in the number of cot deaths. It is part of a continuing trend - numbers of cot deaths have fallen from 377 to 300 since 2001.
However, there has been no noticeable fall in the total infant or post neonatal infant mortality rate. This suggests that better investigation is defining the cause of death in more babies.
Dr Richard Wilson, a paediatrician and trustee of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), said more research was needed into the causes of cot death.
"Every year 300 apparently healthy babies die suddenly and unexpectedly in the UK."
"If the same number of people were involved annually in a fatal plane or train crash there would be outrage and investigations."
"Research has revealed some of the ways to reduce the risk of cot death but the causes of most of these tragedies remain unknown."
"Bereaved parents ask us the all-consuming question of 'why did my baby die?' and they deserve answers."
More information can be found on our Advice section dealing with Cot Death.
30 August 2006
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