Listen Now: 
It’s Safe Sleep Day, and the spotlight is going on the high rates of Sudden Unexplained Death of Maori Infants.
Katherine Clarke from national prevention group Whakawhetu says that Maori make up more than 60 percent of New Zealand’s SUDI deaths each year.
She says contributing factors include the high smoking rate among Maori women and the practice of bed sharing.
Supporting wahine to quit smoking during pregnancy must be a priority, not just for the health of the mother but also because it ensures the development of the baby’s breathing response is not compromised.
Infants whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have a five times greater risk of SUDI if they then go on to share a bed.
That’s why safe sleep practice such as using the wahakura safe-sleeping device is recommended for these families.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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