Ethnicity and the aetiology of sudden infant death syndrome.

In spite of current reports of an encouraging decline in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby, in this and other western countries,' it is still the single most important cause of death between 1 and 12 months. Especially highlighted have been its associations with social disadvantage, poor home environment, inadequate antenatal care, smoking, low birth weight, higher winter incidence, and greater male vulnerability.2 3 An anthropological perspective suggests that we investigate the incidence of SIDS from a broader historical and geographical perspective, recognising its continuing rarity in many parts of the world and its association with western patterns of child rearing.