A new study from the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention found that roughly 75% of unexpected infant deaths were the result of unsafe bedding. Researchers combed through more than 12,000 cases of sudden unexpected infant death between 2011-2017 and found that a majority were the result of unsafe sleep factors, such as soft bedding, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and crib bumpers.
They found that 31% of the cases were caused by suffocation, with 75% of airway obstruction deaths attributed to soft bedding.
The agency said that an average of 3,500 sudden unexpected infant deaths each year, making it the leading cause of death for babies between one month and one year old.
"We're also talking about infants being placed on surfaces other than a bassinet or crib — a couch, a recliner, or an adult bed," said the study's author, Sharyn Parks, senior epidemiologist at the CDC's Division of Reproductive Health. "We're seeing babies who are dying in all of those circumstances."
The number remains high despite decades of messaging about safe-sleep practices for newborns.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents put infants to sleep on their backs on a firm, flat surface and remove any pillows, blankets, or toys from the crib.
A new law introduced in Congress looks to lower the number of deaths by banning crib bumpers, which are dangerous because babies can roll over and bury their faces into the padding, leading to suffocation.
"The fact that these deadly products can still be found on shelves across the country is extremely confusing to new parents who don't believe stores would be selling them if they were truly dangerous to babies," Illinois Rep. Tammy Duckworth said in a statement.
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