Babies who live at very high elevations may have an increased risk of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, a new study suggests.
Researchers looked at the data compiled between 2007 and 2012 involving 400,000 infants born in Colorado, and found that babies of families living at an elevation of 8,000 feet or higher had a SIDS risk that was more than doubled compared to babies from families living below 6,000 feet.
Even though the findings proved to be a bit alarming, there were only about 0.8 SIDS deaths for every 1,000 infants who lived at the highest elevations.
Mountain air has less oxygen than air at lower elevations, and conditions that reduce infants' oxygen levels have previously been linked with SIDS.
Researchers are uncertain about how much mountain air might put babies at risk, according to ABC News.
"This is a call for further research," said lead researcher Dr. David Katz, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado in Aurora.
The causes of SIDS are unknown, but certain conditions linked with reduced oxygen levels seem to increase risks, including brain-stem abnormalities, mothers smoking during and after pregnancy, respiratory infections and stomach sleeping.
SIDS used to be referred to as crib death because infants were often found lifeless, lying face-down in their cribs.
Katz said parents should focus on known risks to help prevent SIDS deaths. His advice includes no stomach sleeping or bed-sharing, avoiding soft bedding and pillows in cribs, and keeping infants away from cigarette smoke, ABC News reported.
Dr. Marcel Deray, a pediatric neurologist at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, said that the odds of SIDS are still considered to be "very low."
"The absolute risk is very small," said Deray, who was not involved in the study. "There is no reason for panic."
The study was published online Monday in Pediatrics.
