I did some rough calculations as part of an email "discussion" with a
reactionary Philly reporter.

"  The stats are crude and do not take into account confounders like
breastfeeding, smoking, socioeconomic level, etc.

Approximately 4,000,000 births a year in the US  (source:CDC data for
2002 )

10% cosleep (2004 Sleep in America Poll by the National Sleep Foundation).
We'll be conservative and say 5% which makes 200,000 cosleepers, 3,800,000
crib sleepers.

180 deaths over 2 years in the cosleepers (source:US Consumer Product
Safety Commission) so 90 deaths in 1 year = 0.045%

2000-2500 SIDS deaths. Subtracting all cosleeper deaths = 1820 to 2320
SIDS deaths in crib sleepers = 0.048% to 0.06%

Comparing just SIDS deaths in crib sleepers (and not the few but real
deaths due to an identifiable cause like suffocation or strangling, etc.)
to all-cause mortality in cosleepers suggests equivalent mortality rates
at least, and possibly a survival advantage to cosleeping.

So, actually, I would say that there are numbers which show it had the
potential to be just as dangerous or worse to sleep in a crib.
"

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