MADERA, Calif. – Pediatricians at Valley Children’s Hospital are urgently reminding parents of the important role of the vitamin K shot given shortly after birth.
It’s one of the simplest, safest and most effective ways to prevent severe and potentially life-threatening bleeding in newborns, experts say.
Babies are born with very low levels of vitamin K, which is needed for normal blood clotting. Without enough of it, infants can develop vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), a condition in which even routine handling, diaper changes or minor bumps and bruises can result in dangerous internal and external bleeding.
This can cause bleeding from the umbilical stump, bleeding after a circumcision, and can even cause bleeding in the brain. VKDB can occur days, weeks or even months after birth.
“To prevent VKDB, doctors will usually give the vitamin K shot to a newborn within the first six hours of life,” said Dr. Sonia Dubey, pediatric resident at Valley Children’s. “We’ve been doing this since 1961. It’s perfectly safe, and it’s one of the easiest things you can do to protect your baby from bleeding.”
Dr. Dubey emphasized that the vitamin K shot is not a vaccine, it’s a vitamin. Adults and older children build up vitamin K stores through their diets. However, very little vitamin K passes through the placenta during pregnancy, and newborns don’t get enough from breast milk or formula to protect them.
According to the National Institute of Health, more parents in the U.S. are now declining the vitamin K shot for their newborns. In fact, refusals rose by more than 77% between 2017 and 2024.
Fears about routine newborn care, like giving vitamin K and erythromycin eye ointment at birth, have grown in recent years due to misinformation spreading online. In reality, these medical interventions are a vital safeguard against serious complications, and skipping them puts newborns at real risk.
“There’s a lot of information out there online. It can be scary and overwhelming,” said Dr. Dubey. “But these are very simple things we can do right from birth to keep your baby safe.”
If you have questions or concerns about any part of newborn preventive care, Dr. Dubey says it’s important to bring them directly to your care team before or shortly after delivery. They can explain what to expect, talk through your options and help you feel prepared and confident in the decisions you’re making for your baby.
