Vitamin K Shot Refusal Linked to Sharp Rise in Infant Bleeding, Study Finds
A study of 11 million U.S. infants shows that declining vitamin K vaccination rates correspond with a 347% increase in vitamin-K-deficiency bleeding between 2017 and 2025.
A analysis of medical records for 11 million newborns between 2017 and 2025 found that the proportion receiving the vitamin K injection at birth fell from 97.7% to 95%. During the same period, cases of vitamin-K-deficiency (VKD) rose 216% and vitamin-K-deficiency bleeding (VKDB) surged 347%, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics and conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University.
“We knew from prior studies that vitamin K refusal had been increasing in the U.S., and we wanted to learn if there were any real-life consequences of this trend,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wolf, lead author and pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. “We found that the answer is undeniably yes, with the rates of VKD and VKDB multiplying over the course of our study.”
The study notes that newborns have low natural vitamin K levels because the nutrient crosses the placenta only minimally, breast milk contains little, and an infant’s gut flora are not yet established. Since 1961, a single vitamin K injection at birth has been the standard preventive measure.
“Similar to the recent measles outbreaks, we are seeing the real-world implications of growing mistrust of doctors and public health professionals. We need clear messaging from all levels of public health about the benefits of vitamin K administration for newborns,” Wolf added.
VKDB can cause bruising and bleeding at the umbilicus within the first week and carries a 30%-60% risk of intracranial hemorrhage after that, potentially leading to seizures, permanent brain injury, or death. The research reported that 7% of infants with VKD and 2% with VKDB experienced intracranial bleeding.
“We should continue to follow these trends moving forward since the rates of vitamin K deficiency and vitamin-K-deficient bleeding may continue to rise if vitamin K refusal keeps increasing,” Wolf said. “We need to better understand why parents are refusing vitamin K and what can be done to improve the uptake of this important medication.”