Doctors recommend that all newborns receive a dose of vitamin K at birth because babies are not born with enough of this essential vitamin, which is crucial for normal blood clotting. Without the vitamin K injection, newborns are at risk of developing a dangerous condition called vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). VKDB can lead to bleeding in almost any organ, and in severe cases, it can be fatal. Many babies affected by VKDB experience bleeding in the brain, which can cause brain damage. Treating babies with VKDB requires intensive care, multiple tests, and various treatments.
VKDB can occur during the first six months of a baby’s life. This is because most of the vitamin K in the body is derived from the foods we consume and from healthy bacteria in the intestines. Since babies don’t start eating solid foods until around six months of age, they don’t naturally produce enough vitamin K. Additionally, nursing mothers don’t provide sufficient amounts of vitamin K in their breast milk to fully protect their infants from VKDB.
Some parents may have encountered concerns about the vitamin K shot, often stemming from a small study conducted in the early 1990s that suggested a link between the vitamin K injection and cancer. However, larger studies conducted since then have shown no connection between vitamin K and cancer. Unfortunately, outdated and incorrect information can still be found online.
In some European countries, parents have the option to give their baby oral vitamin K. However, the oral form is much less effective than the injection in preventing bleeding, particularly bleeding in the brain. In the United States, oral vitamin K is not available for newborns.
While no parent likes the idea of their baby receiving an injection, a single vitamin K shot can safeguard infants from a potentially serious and life-threatening bleeding disorder.