Amid rising vaccine hesitancy, more parents reject vitamin K shots
A growing number of parents are rejecting vitamin K shots for their newborns, despite the risk of life-threatening bleeding. According to a recent study, infants who don't receive vitamin K injections are 81 times more likely to develop vitamin K deficiency bleeding between one week and six months of life.
A baby died due to bleeding under the skin, a condition that can be prevented with a vitamin K shot at birth. The vitamin K shot has been a standard practice since 1961, but its rejection has increased in recent years. The baby's death was likely preventable with the vitamin K shot. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, and babies are born with low levels of it. A national analysis found that the proportion of newborns who didn't receive the vitamin K shot increased from 2.92% in 2017 to 5.18% in 2024. This increase is attributed to a growing mistrust of vaccines and other health measures.
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