Table 4. LIVE BIRTHS. NUMBER OF SIDS AND SIDS RATE 1980 - 1994
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
*1996
Live Births
74388
72355
70933
66815
64237
62250
61425
58864
54300
51659
52954
52690
51584
49456
47929
48530
48530
Total SIDS
144
138
157
159
122
139
157
136
125
108
98
84
59
37
40
33
45
SIDS Rate
1.9
1.9
2.2
2.3
1.9
2.2
2.5
2.3
2.3
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.1
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.9
Provisional Figures based on 1995 birth figures and suspected SIDS cases.
Source: CSO, Report on Vital Statistics 1980-1988;CSO, Yearly Summary, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995;National Sudden Infant Death Register 1992-1996

 

8.2 The seasonal breakdown of SIDS cases during 1996 demonstrates a change in the seasonal pattern with less cases occurring during the warm months of July to September and a greater proportion of SIDS cases occurring during October to December.

Table 5. SIDS SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1996
Season
1992
No. (%)
1993
No. (%)
1994
No. (%)
1995
No. (%)
1996
No. (%)

January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December

Total

20 (34)
13 (22)
9 (15)
17 (29)

59

8 (22)
10 (27)
9 (24)
10 (27)

37

8 (21)
13 (33)
11 (28)
8 (21)

40

8 (24)
12 (36)
6 (18)
7 (21)

33

12 (27)
14 (31)
4 (9)
15 (33)

45
Source: National Sudden Infant Death Register 1992 - 1996

 

8.3 The age breakdown in SIDS cases in 1996 shows a slight decline in the proportion of cases under two months of age.

Table 5. SIDS AGE DISTRIBUTION, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1996
Age
1992
No. (%)
1993
No. (%)
1994
No. (%)
1995
No. (%)
1996
No. (%)

1 month
1 mth<2 mths
2-3 mths
4-5 mths
6-11 mths
12-24 mths

Total

(3)
10 (17)
18 (31)
14 (24)
12 (20)
3 (5)

59

2 (5)
7 (19)
13 (35)
10 (27)
5 (14)
0

37

4 (10)
10 (25)
11 (28)
9 (22)
5 (12)
1 (3)

40

3 (9)
7 (21)
13 (39)
2 (6)
7 (21)
1 (3)

33

4 (9)
11 (24)
12 (27)
5 (11)
9 (20)
4 (9)

45
Source: National Sudden Infant Death Register 1992 - 1996

 

8.4 The sex breakdown of SIDS cases in 1996 yields a ratio of 1:1.1 (corresponding figures for 1995 were 1.4:1 and in 1994 1.8:1)

8.5 The geographic distribution of SIDS cases (1992-1996) shows a decline for some of the health board areas and a rise for others. However, because of small numbers in some areas, these rates must be viewed with caution.

Table 7. SIDS GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 &1996
Health Board Area
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
  No.(%) Rate No.(%) Rate No.(%) Rate No.(%) Rate No.(%) Rate
Eastern
North-Eastern
South-Eastern
Southern
Midland
Mid-Western
North-Western
Western
Total
27 (46)
8 (14)
5 (8)
5 (8)
2 (3)
3 (5)
1 (2)
8 (14)
59
1.4
1.23
1.1
0.5
0.9
0.3
0.4
1.6

15 (41)
(8)
5
4 (11)
4 (11)
4 (11)
0.1
2 (5)
37

0.8
0.7
(13)
0.6
1.4
0.9
(2)
0.4

15 (38)
0 (0)
0.9
8 (20)
1 (2)
8 (20)
0.4
2 (5)
40

0.8
0.03
5
1.0
0.4
1.9
0
0.5
 14 (42)
(9)
(13)
6 (18)
1 (3)
3 (9)
4 (9)
3 (9)
33 		0.8
0.8
1.0
0.7
0.4
0.7
1.5
0.7

23 (51)
2 (4)
3 (9)
4 (9)
3 (7)
1 (2)
0
5 (11)
45

1.3
0.5
0.6
0.6
1.1
0.2

1.2
Source: National Sudden Infant Death Register 1992 - 1996

 

Table 8. APPENDIX A
Scientific Advisory Committee - Register Committee Membership
Professor Tom Matthews
Ms. B. Kiberd
Professor Wm. Shannon
Dr. P. Kelehan
Dr. J. Gillian
Dr. M. O' Regan
Dr. L. Thornton
Dr. D. Devaney
Dr. A. Cullen
Mr. Sean Quirke
Mr. Sean Lynch		 Professor of Paediatrics, University College, Dublin
Unit Head, National Sudden Infant Death Register
Professor of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Consultant Pathologist, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin
Consultant Pathologist, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin
Senior Lecturer, Statistics Department, Trinity College, Dublin
Specialist of Public Health Medicine, Eastern Health Board
Consultant Pathologist, The Children's Hospital, Dublin
Clinical Lecturer & Research Registrar, University College, Dublin
Chairman, Irish Sudden Infant Death Association
Irish Sudden Infant Death Association
Report Working Group: Ms. B. Kiberd, Dr. M. Mehanni, Ms. M. Coleman, Ms. M. McDonnell, Dr. M. O' Regan & Ms. Dina Melas.