Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI)

Surveillance Reports and Metadata

Surveillance Report: Sudden unexpected death in infancy (June 2022) View interactive report Download report PDF
Metadata: Sudden unexpected death in infancy (June 2022) Download report PDF

Maternal smoking doubles the risk of SUDI

Infants (under one year old) exposed to second-hand smoke are at higher risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) [1]. Having a mother who smokes also doubles their risk of dying from SUDI [2].

In 2002–2010, New Zealand had a high SUDI rate compared with other developed countries. New Zealand’s SUDI rate was 1.01 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with 0.95 in the United States, 0.60 in Japan, 0.50 in Australia, 0.45 in England and Wales, and 0.19 in the Netherlands [3]. SUDI was the primary cause of death due to second-hand smoke in New Zealand in 2010. An estimated six children died of SUDI (6% of all attributable deaths) from second-hand smoke exposure that same year [4].


Information about this data 

Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI)

Source: Ministry of Health [5]

Definition: Deaths in children aged under one year of age (<1 year old) with an underlying cause of death in the following ICD-10AM codes: R95, R96, R98, R99, W75, W78, W79. Rates are presented per 1000 live births.

For more information, see the metadata sheet

 

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