A new study published in the medical journal Pediatrics revealed that places with higher elevations are linked to an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The researchers said the study is a call for people living in high altitudes. They need to be more careful about other factors that can lower the risk of SIDS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3,500 infants die from no obvious cause each year.

Doctors still have not been able to understand the phenomenon completely. However, they suggest that the lower oxygen at higher altitudes might increase the SIDS risk for infants who are already vulnerable.

A research team led by Dr. David Katz, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, looked at medical records for nearly 400,000 babies born in the state between 2007 and 2012.

Their findings revealed that the risk of SIDS was more than double in babies who lived at an elevation of 8,000 feet or higher than the babies living below 6,000 feet above sea level.

Dr. David Katz mentioned that the study doesn't want to encourage people to abandon higher elevations. He also noted that Katz even though the risk increased, the overall risk is very low.

The study showed revealed about 0.8 SIDS deaths for every 1,000 infants who lived at the highest elevations. Katz added that the best thing parents can do is know the risk factors of SIDS.

A lot of research needs to be done in order to figure out exactly what causes SIDS and if it can be prevented. For now, parents should consult their doctors about reducing risks in their home.