Postneonatal mortality, sudden infant death syndrome: factors preventing the decline of infant mortality in France from 1979 to 1985.
The sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is known to be associated with a peak in mortality rates at 3 months of age, and a seasonal peak in winter. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between the month of death, month of birth and age at death for cohorts of monthly births in France between 1979 and 1985. Statistics concerning the causes of death were collected and used to calculate life-tables firstly from SIDS and secondly from all other causes. They show that the specific age distribution at death was not the same for babies born in late summer or autumn as for other newborns. Total infant death rates were higher for cohorts born in the autumn, because of the peak in deaths from SIDS at about three months of age.
Bouvier-Colle
M H
MH
Unité de Recherches sur l'Evaluation de l'Etat de Santé et des Systèmes de Soins et de Prévention, France.
Inizan
J
J
Michel
E
E
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D002423:Cause of Death; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000401:mortality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000401:mortality; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control