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Smoking, temperature boost crib-death risk: study 

Mothers who smoke while pregnant increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, according to new research from the University of Calgary.

And overheating babies - whether it's from over-wrapping them at night or increasing their room temperature above 20C - also raises the risk of crib death, according to the research.

"For a long time, the knowledge of smoking being a risk factor has been there, as well as putting the baby face-down or overheating," says George Dalekos, chairman of the SIDS Calgary Society. "There's never been any scientific data that actually support that so, for me, this is exciting stuff."

Shabih Hasan, a professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Calgary's faculty of medicine, led the research, which is the first animal study to examine the effects of cigarette smoke rather than nicotine.

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