Prenatal Care Starts Early! Maintaining good prenatal care for you and your unborn baby, including proper nutrition and frequent medical checkups, is the first step to protecting your baby against SIDS, stillbirth and other causes of infant death. Research shows that some babies are more vulnerable to SIDS than others due to an abnormality in their brainstem that occurs as the fetus is developing. Maternal conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and blood clotting disorders also increase the risk of stillbirth if not detected and treated during pregnancy.
Do not smoke during your pregnancy! Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at 2-3 times higher risk for SIDS and stillbirth, and that risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Exposure to second hand smoke after birth also puts your baby at increased risk for SIDS and other respiratory illness.
Communicate with your doctor throughout your pregnancy! Share any concerns you may have about your pregnancy with your doctor, but call immediately if you experience any vaginal bleeding, leakage or sharp pain at any point in your pregnancy. These could be signs of complications that could lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a low birth-weight baby that is at increased risk for SIDS.