Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Fact Sheet

The Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (CPSS) of the Public Health Agency of Canada has developed a fact sheet which is based on vital statistics data to describe an issue of national public health significance, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Key findings include:

• Infant mortality rates due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have fallen in Canada in recent decades.
• SIDS rates vary widely among Canadian provinces and territories. Recent data indicate that Quebec has the lowest rate, while Nunavut has the highest.
• The decrease in SIDS may be explained by a decrease in risk factors such as maternal smoking during pregnancy, and an increase in protective behaviours such as placing babies on their back to sleep and breastfeeding.

This fact sheet is available in both official languages in PDF format. For any additional information or to obtain an electronic copy, contact us at cpss-scsp@phac-aspc.gc.ca.