Parents' preferences in organizing babies' sleep in the Republic of Karelia

Background: Sudden infant death syndrome remains one of the leading causes of death in the first year of life. The prevalence of SIDS in the Russian Federation is 0.4 cases per 100,000 children under the age of one year of life. Currently, the most studied risk factors are environmental factors that can be influenced and reduce the risk of SIDS. Aim: To study parents' preferences for infant sleep arrangements in the Republic of Karelia. Materials and methods: 1) study design — a one-stage population-based study by selective individual questioning of mothers with children of the first year of life; 2) criteria for selecting research objects: selective individual questioning of mothers with children of the first year of life in medical institutions providing primary health care; 3) medical intervention was not carried out; 4) duration of the study: June 2022 — November 2022; 5) the primary endpoint is the assessment of sleep conditions for children under one year old in the Republic of Karelia; 6) Statistical data processing was performed using the Microsoft Office 2010 software package. Results: The study showed that a significant proportion of parents do not follow the recommendations for safe infant sleep, which may increase the risk of SIDS. In particular, 40% of children sleep on their sides, while 12% sleep on their stomachs, and only 48% sleep on their backs. In addition, 62% of parents prefer to sleep together, despite the recommendations for separate sleep, which can also negatively affect the safety of the child. Conclusion: Children of the first year of life in the Republic of Karelia have unfavorable sleep conditions, which can significantly increase the risk of SIDS. The results highlight the need to raise awareness among parents about safe infant care practices.