A 7-week-old premature infant died of sudden infant death while bed-sharing with her mother on a couch. The infant was born at 33 weeks gestation weighing 1.7kg and discharged home after achieving adequate growth. She was examined at a 6-week post-natal check and found to be healthy. The death occurred when the mother fell asleep while holding the infant after a night feed. The coroner emphasised that co-sleeping with infants, particularly on couches, creates unsafe sleeping environments and represents a significant risk factor for sudden infant death. While the parents were loving and caring, the death illustrates the critical importance of safe sleep practices including separate sleeping surfaces for infants.
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Specialties
paediatricsneonatologygeneral practiceforensic medicine
Error types
system
Clinical conditions
sudden infant death syndromeprematurityintrauterine growth restriction
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