WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An estimated 200 babies have died in playpens since 1988, with nearly half of those children suffocating from soft bedding or extra mattresses, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said today.

A CPSC study has found that many cribs are fitted with soft bedding that can surround an infant's face, causing suffocation.

The agency estimates that more than 70% of the 200 deaths in playpens were among babies younger than 1 year.

``This study shows, for the first time, that the same dangers exist when using pillows, quilts and comforters in playpens,'' the CPSC's Ann Brown said in a statement.

Each year, more than 2.5 million playpens, portable cribs and play yards are sold. With many parents using playpens as places for infants to sleep and play, the CPSC urged them to take extra steps to ensure their children's safety.

CPSC and toy-maker Mattel Inc. have launched a ``Sleep Safe, Play Safe'' campaign to educate parents about the hazards of soft bedding and extra mattresses in playpens.

To prevent deaths or injuries to children in playpens, the CPSC advises parents to take the following precautions:

-- Before using a playpen, make sure it has not been recalled.

-- Always put a baby down to sleep on his back in a playpen or crib with no soft bedding such as quilts, comforters and pillows. This can help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and prevent suffocation.

-- Check that the playpen is in good shape. Using a modified or improperly repaired unit can create hazards.

-- Make sure the top rails of the unit lock into place automatically. More than 1 million older playpens with top rails that had to be manually rotated into a locked position have been recalled.

-- Do not use playpens with catch points, such as protruding hardware. More than 9 million older units with protruding hardware have been recalled.

-- If using a mesh-sided playpen, make sure the mesh is less than 1/4 of an inch in size and that it is attached securely. This will help prevent strangulation.

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