Baltimore Reports Record Low 13 Sleep-related Infant Deaths

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Health officials say there were 13 sleep-related infant deaths in Baltimore last year, a record low for the city.

Baltimore City Health Department officials announced Wednesday that the number of deaths is down from a high of 27 deaths reported in 2009.

Officials say sleep-related death is the city's second leading cause of infant mortality, behind complications related to preterm birth and low birth weight. Officials are launching a new phase with a focus on infants sleeping in a smoke-free environment that includes help for moms who want to quit smoking.

Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen says everyone should know the "ABCs of Safe Sleep" for infants and that means babies should be "put to sleep alone, on their backs, and in cribs, without exposure to secondhand smoke."

(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)