Question

In the United States, a leading factor in neonatal mortality that is largely preventable is ________.

A) malnutrition
B) physical defects
C) low birth weight
D) sudden infant death syndrome

Answer 1

The leading factor in neonatal mortality in the United States is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy infant, usually during sleep. To reduce the risk of SIDS, parents should follow certain recommendations, such as placing infants on their backs to sleep and ensuring a safe sleep environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The leading factor in neonatal mortality in the United States that is largely preventable is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy infant, usually during sleep. It is one of the leading causes of death in the first year of life, with approximately two thousand infants dying from SIDS in the U.S. each year.

The exact cause of SIDS is still unknown, but scientists believe that factors such as immaturity or abnormality of the brainstem, which controls arousal from sleep and breathing, may play a role. Infants younger than 12 months, particularly boys, are at the highest risk for SIDS.

To reduce the risk of SIDS, parents are advised to follow certain recommendations, such as placing infants on their backs to sleep, ensuring a safe sleep environment by removing blankets and pillows from the crib, and avoiding smoking in the home. These measures have helped decrease the number of infant deaths from SIDS in recent years.