SNPs in SIDS: histologic, environmental and genetic factors of sudden infant death in the Netherlands

SNPs in SIDS is a research project into the histologic, environmental and genetic risk factors of sudden infant death syndrome in the Netherlands. By identifying risk factors for SIDS preventive measures can be taken, such as education of the parents or even inclusion of a genetic variation in the "hielprik". The most important risk factors found in this project are prone sleeping position of the infant, tobacco smoking by the parents, variations in genes responsible for heart rhythm regulation, and possibly a variation in a gene that plays a role in respiratory regulation.