While specific country rankings vary by year and data source, New Zealand has historically shown one of the highest rates among developed nations, often alongside countries like the United States, but sub-Saharan African countries and nations like Yemen, South Sudan, and Afghanistan face a much heavier burden of SIDS/infant mortality overall due to poverty and lack of resources. Data shows significant regional differences, with developed nations seeing declines but some African regions having very high rates.
Several factors increase a baby's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Afghanistan currently has the highest infant mortality rate in the world at 103 deaths per 1,000 babies born. Decades of conflict have pushed the country to the brink and a prolonged drought since 2021 has made food more scarce. Meanwhile, the other 14 countries on this list are all from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), which includes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), is a leading cause of infant death in the United States, with infants born to Black families dying at higher rates of SUID than white infants.
The Prevalence of cosleeping in Japan
Across the globe, Japan has one of the lowest SIDS rates in the world and one of the highest rates of cosleeping. More than 60% of parents in Japan practice cosleeping. Despite this, Japan has half as many SIDS deaths as the U.S.
Compared to rates in other developed countries, the U.S. SIDS rate remains high. For example, in 2005, the U.S. rate ranked second highest (after New Zealand) among 13 countries in a research study by Fern Hauck and Kawai Tanabe. The lowest SIDS rates among these countries were in the Netherlands and Japan.
And yes, some research does show (and some medical professionals believe), it is possible to safely do so with the right tools and information. There is nothing illegal about sleeping with your baby—whether co-sleeping or bed sharing.
Overview table. This first table gives a convenient overview of the general categories and broad causes. The leading cause is cardiovascular disease at 31.59% of all deaths.
More recently, the highest SIDS rates (>0.5/1000 live births) are in New Zealand and the United States. The lowest rates (<0.2/1000) are in Japan and the Netherlands.
Inherent gender differences have been identified in the medullae of SIDS victims, including increased apoptotic neuronal cell death and decreased 5-HT1A receptor binding in male infants that may lead to altered arousal pathways and increased vulnerability to SIDS.
Throughout the world, the following countries have the lowest infant mortality rates:
SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants 1 month to 1 year old, and remains unpredictable despite years of research. Even so, the risk of SIDS can be greatly reduced. Most important: Babies younger than 1 year old should be placed on their backs to sleep — never on their stomachs or on their sides.
Yet in 2022, nearly half (47%) of all deaths in children under 5 years of age occurred in the newborn period (the first 28 days of life), which is among the most vulnerable periods of life and requires intensified quality intrapartum and newborn care.
Babies born in Japan, Iceland and Singapore have the best chance at survival, while newborns in Pakistan, the Central African Republic and Afghanistan face the worst odds.
In total, 79 infant under 1 year died from SIDS and undetermined causes in Australia in 2020, a rate of 0.3 per 1,000 live births. * Rates have not been calculated for numbers less than 4 or where small numbers have been confidentialised by the source jurisdiction.
Tummy Time for a Healthy Baby. Babies need tummy time! Although it does not directly reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), tummy time is an important way to help baby grow and develop.
Risk factors for SIDS include:
Japan has one of the world's lowest infant and neonatal mortality rates due to a highly structured and safe maternity system, and universal healthcare access.
The Japanese have discovered an ingenious way to put your baby to sleep in exactly 13 minutes. If your baby can't fall asleep, the trick is to hold him in your arms for five minutes while walking and then for another eight minutes.
cancer. dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease. stroke and other neurological diseases, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.
The U.S. has highest rate of disease burden among comparable countries, and the gap is growing - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.
Record numbers of men and women globally are now estimated to have reduced kidney function, a new study shows. Figures rose from 378 million people with the disease in 1990 to 788 million in 2023 as the world population grew and aged, making it for the first time a top 10 cause of death worldwide.
The "5-3-3" baby sleep method is a sleep training strategy where a baby sleeps for 5 hours, stays awake for 3 hours, then sleeps for another 3 hours, often used around 4-6 months to encourage independent sleep by reducing nighttime feeds and establishing routine, but it requires strict adherence and consulting a pediatrician, as it might be too rigid for some babies or caregivers.
The "hardest" age to adopt is subjective and depends on the family, but older children (school-age to teens) are generally harder to place due to trauma, multiple foster placements, and developmental challenges like forming attachments, making them often considered "special needs" by agencies, though they offer benefits like self-sufficiency; conversely, some find toddlers (ages 3-4) the most challenging due to behavioral hurdles.
"70/30 parenting" refers to a child custody arrangement where one parent has the child for about 70% of the time (the primary parent) and the other parent has them for 30% (often weekends and some mid-week time), creating a stable "home base" while allowing the non-primary parent significant, meaningful involvement, but it also requires strong communication and coordination to manage schedules, school events, and disagreements effectively.