America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation Logo

Sleep Position
Sleep Position in United States
United States

Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.

How to use this page

United States Value:

80.2%

Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep

Sleep Position in depth:

Sleep Position by State

Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep




Sleep Position Trends

Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep

Trend: Sleep Position in United States, 2022 Health Of Women And Children Report

Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep

United States
Source:

 CDC, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System or state equivalent

View All Populations

Sleep Position

Trend: Sleep Position in United States, 2022 Health Of Women And Children Report

Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep

United States
Source:

 CDC, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System or state equivalent

About Sleep Position

US Value: 80.2%

Top State(s): New Hampshire: 90.8%

Bottom State(s): Mississippi: 64.3%

Definition: Percentage of women with a recent live birth who reported their infants are usually placed on their backs to sleep

Data Source and Years: CDC, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System or state equivalent, 2020

Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System or state equivalent, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.

Every year 3,500 infant deaths are reported in the United States as a result of sleep-related problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend putting babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant deaths. Putting a baby to sleep in a facedown or side sleep position is the most significant contributing factor in sudden unexpected infant deaths.

Mothers at a disproportionate risk for not placing an infant to sleep in a face-up position include:

Non-Hispanic Black mothers, who are more than twice as likely to place infants in a face-down position than their white counterparts.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has identified sleep-related recommendations to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death. These include:

  • Placing infants face-up for sleep on a firm, flat surface until age 12 months unless the infant has a medical reason to sleep in a different position.
  • Avoiding soft objects, loose bedding and crib bumpers in the infant's sleeping area.
  • Sleeping in the same room as the infant, but not in the same bed.
  • Avoiding overheating.

Increased education on the recommended guidelines is needed for new and expecting mothers to keep infants safe during sleep, especially mothers at high risk of not placing their infant to sleep in a face-up position. It is also critical to ensure pediatricians and other health care providers are educated on safe sleep practices and communicate the correct recommendations to parents.

A Healthy People 2030 objective is to increase the percentage of infants sleeping face-up.

Bombard, Jennifer M., Katherine Kortsmit, Lee Warner, Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza, Shanna Cox, Charlan D. Kroelinger, Sharyn E. Parks, et al. 2018. “Vital Signs: Trends and Disparities in Infant Safe Sleep Practices — United States, 2009–2015.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 67 (1): 39–46. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6701e1.

Hirai, Ashley H., Katherine Kortsmit, Lorena Kaplan, Erin Reiney, Lee Warner, Sharyn E. Parks, Maureen Perkins, Marion Koso-Thomas, Denise V. D’Angelo, and Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza. 2019. “Prevalence and Factors Associated With Safe Infant Sleep Practices.” Pediatrics 144 (5): e20191286. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1286.

Moon, Rachel Y., Rebecca F. Carlin, and Ivan Hand. 2022. “Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment.” Pediatrics 150 (1): e2022057990. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057990.

Moon, Rachel Y., Marit Kington, Rosalind Oden, Joana Iglesias, and Fern R. Hauck. 2007. “Physician Recommendations Regarding SIDS Risk Reduction: A National Survey of Pediatricians and Family Physicians.” Clinical Pediatrics 46 (9): 791–800. https://doi.org/10.1177/0009922807303894.

Von Kohorn, Isabelle, Michael J. Corwin, Denis V. Rybin, Timothy C. Heeren, George Lister, and Eve R. Colson. 2010. “Influence of Prior Advice and Beliefs of Mothers on Infant Sleep Position.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 164 (4). https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.26.

Current Reports

America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.

We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.