Sleep-Related Infant Death Rates Are Climbing Again After Decades of Progress, New Data Shows

For the first time in decades, the rate of sudden unexpected infant death is moving in the wrong direction. Published CDC data shows the SUID rate climbed 12% between 2020 and 2022, from 89.9 to 100.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, while the most recent figure cited in the report is 93.6 per 100,000 in 2024. Approximately 3,500 U.S. infants die of sleep-related causes every year.

One Family Pediatrics, serving families across Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Dawson, Cherokee, and Fulton counties, is raising awareness of the trend and reinforcing safe sleep counseling with patient families. The practice points to the decline from 158.58 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 92.9 in 2020 as evidence of the value of consistent caregiver education.

A 2025 study in Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing reviewed 154 Pennsylvania SUID-related deaths from 2018 and 2019. It found that 46.0% involved sharing a sleep surface with another person or animal, 33.1% involved an adult bed, and 34.5% of infants in the 2018 cases had been placed on their back for sleep.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing infants on their backs for every sleep, using a firm and flat separate sleep surface, room-sharing without bed-sharing for at least the first six months, and keeping soft bedding out of the sleep area. The guidance also addresses overheating and unsupervised sleep in sitting devices.

Published historical data cited in the report also documents substantial racial disparities. Rates during 2010-2013 were 190.5 per 100,000 for American Indian/Alaska Native infants and 171.8 for non-Hispanic Black infants, compared with 84.4 for non-Hispanic white infants. Current AAP guidance continues to describe the disparity as ongoing.

One Family Pediatrics encourages caregivers in North Atlanta to visit onefamilypediatrics.com or call 678-962-7337 to schedule a well-child visit and discuss safe sleep practices with a provider.

This release summarizes a research synthesis based on published sources. It does not report proprietary One Family Pediatrics patient data or original statistical analysis and does not provide individualized medical advice.