# US infant mortality and unsafe sleep trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-infant-mortality-and-unsafe-sleep-trends
> Updated: 2026-10-02T10:58:48.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

In Baltimore, city officials have raised alarms regarding a rise in sleep-related infant deaths. After recording eleven such deaths in 2025, the city matched that total in 2026 with four months remaining in the year. Approximately 74% of these deaths in Baltimore involved co-sleeping. Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Health Commissioner Michelle Taylor have urged families to follow safe sleep guidelines, such as ensuring infants sleep alone, on their backs, in a crib, and in smoke-free environments.

Broadening the scope, a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzing 4,861 cases of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) between 2020 and 2024 found that approximately 73% of cases involved unsafe sleep factors. The CDC data indicates that 78% of cases involved soft bedding, 75% occurred on surfaces other than a crib or bassinet, and 59% involved sharing a sleep space with another person or animal.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: CDC report links unsafe sleep factors to majority of sudden infant deaths

A CDC analysis of nearly 5,000 infant deaths shows 73% involved unsafe sleep factors, including soft bedding, improper sleep surfaces, and sleeping on the stomach or side.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cdc-report-links-unsafe-sleep-factors-to-majority-of-sudden-infant-deaths

### 2026-09-08: Baltimore officials urge safe sleep following rise in infant deaths

Baltimore officials are urging safe sleep practices following a rise in sleep-related infant deaths, which have already reached 11 cases in 2026, matching the total from all of 2025.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/baltimore-officials-urge-safe-sleep-following-rise-in-infant-deaths

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Cite as: US infant mortality and unsafe sleep trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-infant-mortality-and-unsafe-sleep-trends