During the years 1970-89 there was a marked increase in cot deaths in the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Since 1990 cot death has decreased dramatically, especially in Norway and Denmark. Mortality rates have decreased by 74% between 1989 and 1993 in Norway and by 69% between 1991 and 1993 in Denmark. Investigations in Norway during the same period have shown a change in the sleeping positions of infants, from prone positions to supine/side positions. Infant mortality rates have decreased in all the Nordic countries and in 1993 varied from 5.45 per thousand live births in Denmark to 4.40 in Finland.