Prenatal Substance Exposure Plays Role in Sleep-Related Sudden Infant Death
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2024 -- Sleep environment characteristics and social drivers of poor health and family vulnerability differ for sleep-related sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) in infants prenatally substance-exposed versus nonexposed infants, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in Pediatrics.
Stephanie Anne Deutsch, M.D., from Nemours Children's Health in Wilmington, Delaware, and colleagues examined SUID with sleep-related deaths between 2015 and 2020 among infants who were prenatally substance-exposed versus nonexposed using the Sudden Death in the Young Registry.
The researchers found that 14 percent of the 2,010 infants who experienced sleep-related deaths were prenatally exposed. More than half of deaths involved an adult bed or surface sharing with an adult (52 and 53 percent, respectively). Disproportionate impairment was seen for supervisors of prenatally exposed infants versus nonexposed infants (34 versus 16 percent). Prenatal exposure history was significantly associated with vulnerability factors (insurance, child welfare involvement, intimate partner violence, health care barriers).
"Disproportionate sleep environment hazards (surface sharing, supervisor impairment) identified among prenatally exposed infants should compel targeted, population-specific prevention efforts, including safe sleep messaging, discouragement of surface sharing, and engagement of support persons during caregiver impairment periods," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Exposure to Preconception CT Linked to Spontaneous Pregnancy Loss
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 10, 2025 -- Exposure to preconception computed tomography (CT) imaging is associated with a higher risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss and congenital anomalies...
Prevalence of Diaper Insecurity 41 Percent in Urban Health Centers
TUESDAY, Sept. 9, 2025 -- In a cross-sectional study conducted in nine urban Federally Qualified Health Centers and published online Sept. 9 in Pediatrics, the prevalence of...
2000 to 2023 Saw Rise in Pediatric Exposure to Medications, Supplements
MONDAY, Sept. 8, 2025 -- From 2000 to 2023, the rate of exposure to medications, dietary supplements, and psychoactive substances increased among children aged 6 to 12 years...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.