An Epidemiological and Sociological Study of Unexpected Death in Infancy in Nine Areas of Southern England

This paper shows that a modified form of scoring would be useful in identifying infants at risk in these areas. It is predicted that a useful reduction in unexpected infant deaths would follow increasing the care given to high risk infants. To evaluate such a programme and to update the scoring system, an ongoing survey of all cases of unexpected death would be required. Case conferences based on this information would also improve the level of care so that the overall effect of the whole package might be substantially larger than predicted from theory.