Sudden infant death syndrome and psychiatric disorders.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the most common type of post-neonatal death most common type of post-neonatal death in infants aged under 1 year, and is defined in infants aged under 1 year, and is defined as the sudden death of a baby that is un-as the sudden death of a baby that is unexpected from the baby's history and expected from the baby's history and unexplained by a thorough post-mortem unexplained by a thorough post-mortem examination (Hunt, 1992). Current aetio-examination (Hunt, 1992). Current aetio-logical theories of SIDS involve multi-logical theories of SIDS involve multi-factorial models, which include the prone factorial models, which include the prone sleeping position, socioeconomic depri-sleeping position, socioeconomic deprivation , smoking in either parent, and vation, smoking in either parent, and prematurity as major risk factors. The inci-prematurity as major risk factors. The incidence of SIDS in the UK has fallen since the dence of SIDS in the UK has fallen since the 'back to sleep' campaign (initiated in 'back to sleep' campaign (initiated in 1992) and stood at 0.56 per 1000 live 1992) and stood at 0.56 per 1000 live births in 1998. Since the 'back to sleep' births in 1998. Since the 'back to sleep' campaign began there has been a change campaign began there has been a change in the relative importance of risk factors, in the relative importance of risk factors, with single marital status, ethnicity and with single marital status, ethnicity and initiation of prenatal care in the third initiation of prenatal care in the third trimester becoming more significant (Paris trimester becoming more significant (Paris et al et al, 2001), and psychiatric disorders have , 2001), and psychiatric disorders have also emerged recently as possible risk also emerged recently as possible risk factors (Mitchell factors (Mitchell et al Postnatal depression is consistently found Postnatal depression is consistently found in 12–13% of mothers in epidemiological in 12–13% of mothers in epidemiological surveys (O'Hara & Swain, 1996) and is surveys (O'Hara & Swain, 1996) and is therefore one of the most common compli-therefore one of the most common complications of childbearing. Two prospective cations of childbearing. Two prospective studies have reported an association studies have reported an association between postnatal depression and SIDS between postnatal depression and SIDS (Mitchell (Mitchell et al et al, 1992; Sanderson , 1992; Sanderson et al et al, , 2002), with an odds ratio of around …