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Sudden infant death

Sudden infant death is defined as the death of an infant who was previously considered healthy, with no prior signs or symptoms to suggest it would occur. The death most often occurs during sleep. It is the leading cause of death among infants under one year of age.

Our Mission

  • Monitor trends and alert public authorities accordingly.

What We Do

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants under the age of 1. Santé publique France contributes to the surveillance of SIDS in France.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in France among infants aged 28 days to 1 year, claiming the lives of 250 to 350 children under the age of 2 each year. Several risk factors may contribute to this. Following several national prevention campaigns, the number of deaths has remained stable since the 2000s. However, it is estimated that 50% of sudden infant death syndrome cases could be prevented through recommended preventive measures.

In this context, Santé publique France’s efforts focus on monitoring cases of sudden infant death in France and disseminating information on prevention measures to parents and healthcare professionals.

Epidemiological Surveillance of Sudden Infant Death

In 2007–2009, a survey was conducted by Santé publique France (formerly the Institut de Veille Sanitaire) to assess the epidemiology of sudden infant death, the circumstances of death, the care provided to children, and the diagnoses identified. The results of this survey highlighted the need to renew campaigns promoting back-sleeping for infants and to strengthen the role of reference centers in their care missions for SIDS cases, in accordance with the recommendations of the “HAS.”

In light of this, the Nantes University Hospital and the National Association of SIDS Reference Centers (ANCReMIN) established the National Observatory on Sudden Infant Death (OMIN Registry) in 2015, which was recently accredited as a registry. Within this framework, a partnership between Santé Publique France and the Nantes University Hospital was established in 2017. The OMIN registry provides, in a fully secure manner, the data necessary for Santé publique France to carry out its surveillance and alert missions. In particular, this data enables the monitoring of trends and the issuance of alerts to public authorities based on observed patterns.

Indicators derived from analyses of SIDS are published in Géodes, the mapping platform of Santé publique France. The indicators are as follows:

  • the number of SIDS deaths before the age of 2 by region and by year;

  • the number of deaths among infants under 2 years of age by region and by sex for the entire study period;

  • the rates of infant mortality before the age of one year (<1 year) by department for the entire study period.

As part of this partnership, Santé publique France participates in the OMIN Scientific Advisory Board as an observer.

The OMIN Registry at a Glance

The overall objective of the OMIN Registry in France is to describe and track, over time and across regions, the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), its characteristics, the proportion of sudden infant deaths and other causes among these deaths, as well as current management practices in French referral centers through comprehensive and continuous data collection. The OMIN Registry also aims to assist in the implementation and evaluation of prevention campaigns in the field of SIDS. Finally, the OMIN Registry serves a research purpose to identify new risk factors or predisposing factors (genes, medical conditions, environmental exposures). Data collection for IHEs begins at the scene of death and continues at the reference center to which the child is transferred.

SIDS reference centers are located throughout the country and provide hospital care for SIDS cases, in accordance with HAS recommendations. These recommendations describe procedures regarding the transfer of the body, the reception of parents, recommended medical examinations, autopsy if applicable, genetic and research-oriented tests to be performed, the content of the medical record to be documented, and the preparation of the MIN death certificate.

In the weeks following the death, a multidisciplinary review to synthesize diagnostic findings is organized with the various professionals involved to determine the cause of death and, if necessary, recommend further investigations. The information is transmitted to the Center for Epidemiology on Medical Causes of Death (CépiDC) from the hospital (reference center).

Prevention initiatives against sudden infant death

Several initiatives to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are being carried out nationwide to raise awareness among parents and professionals about the risk of SIDS. Among these initiatives are:

  • National SIDS Prevention Week in September: organized by ANCReMIN (National Association of Reference Centers for Sudden Infant Death) every September since 2015 with the support of bereaved parents’ associations;

  • prevention initiatives by associations (Naitre et Vivre, Les rires d’Anna, and Sa Vie) that are committed to the fight against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and support parents by conducting information campaigns on prevention and supporting research;

  • the prevention campaigns by ANCReMIN aimed at raising awareness among new parents, the general public, healthcare professionals, and early childhood professionals about preventive measures;

  • Awareness days and proposals to improve prevention, organized by healthcare facilities and reference centers such as: the Hospices Civils de Lyon, the Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, the Antoine-Béclère Hospital (AP-HP), the Finistère SIDS Reference Center, the Montpellier University Hospital, the Nancy University Hospital, and the Saint-Étienne University Hospital.

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