Authorised access web portal for Italian data bank on sudden unexpected perinatal and infant death

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is common during the first year of life and affects 0.40 every 1,000 births. Stillbirths are seven times more common than SIDS; in 40–80% of cases remain unexplained and are categorised as sudden intrauterine unexpected death syndrome. In 2006 Italy passed legislation that fetuses, and infants, from 25 weeks of gestation to one postnatal year, that died suddenly and unexpectedly should be sent to the University of Milan, Italy, for an in-depth diagnostic post-mortem with parental permission. The “Lino Rossi” Research Center is currently developing the technical specifications for a web portal (http://users.unimi.it/centrolinorossi) for its national data bank registry, which has been set up to centralise records retrieved from regions across Italy. This will record all post-mortem findings, together with clinical information about the pregnancy, fetal development, delivery, environmental conditions and the family situation when the death occurred. The privacy and confidentiality of the data are ensured, in accordance with European legislation.