Assessment of infant sleeping position--selected states, 1996.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of postneonatal mortality in the United States. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that all healthy babies be put to sleep either on their back or side to reduce the risk for SIDS. In 1994, a national "Back to Sleep" education campaign was initiated to encourage the public and health-care providers to put babies to sleep on their back or side. In November 1996, the AAP modified its policy to preferentially recommend putting infants on their back because of the lower risk for SIDS associated with this position relative to the side position. To assess adherence to recommendations for infant sleeping position, CDC analyzed population-based data on the usual infant sleeping position for 1996 births by race from 10 states participating in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis and indicates that infant sleeping position varied by state and race.