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CHICAGO (AP) — A study has found that living in higher altitudes where there is less oxygen may be a contributing factor to sudden infant death syndrome, but doctors say more research needs to be done.
A Colorado study published in the journal Pediatrics finds higher risks to babies above 8,000 feet.
While the research shows that the SIDS rate in Colorado's tall mountains is very low, it's still two times greater than in the Denver area and other regions where the altitude is less than 6,000 feet. The results echo earlier research done in Austria's Alps.
But exactly how mountain air might put babies at risk is uncertain and whether there is a solid connection requires more study.
SIDS kills about 2,000 U.S. infants each year, and is the leading cause of infant deaths after the first month.
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