Compared to the analagous January-July period of 2011, the birth rate increased by 6.7%, the death rate decreased by 2.9%, and the rate of natural population loss plummeted by 60% (from 138, 000 in 2011 to just 57, 000 in 2012).

FORBES: Russia is on Track to Record Natural Population Growth in 2012

He suggested it was possible that "natural variation" in the rate of cot death could be responsible for the vast improvements seen around the time the new advice was introduced.

BBC: NEWS | Health | Infant death 'doubts' challenged

Both the change in the death rate and the change in the infection rate are partly a consequence of the natural flow and ebb of any epidemic infection.

ECONOMIST: AIDS