In recent years, more American parents have been refusing their newborns a crucial vitamin K shot, leaving infants vulnerable to serious bleeding complications. According to a new study published in JAMA, the percentage of babies not receiving this life-saving dose has increased by 77% over the past seven years.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed medical records from over 5 million newborns between 2017 and 2024 and found that more families were opting out of the vitamin K shot. The study suggests that a growing perception among parents may be to blame, with some mistakenly believing the vaccine is unnecessary.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, and babies are born with relatively low levels. Without it, infants can develop a rare but potentially life-threatening condition called vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). If this occurs in the brain, it can lead to a stroke.
The researchers speculate that the COVID-19 pandemic may have fueled this trend, as some parents became increasingly skeptical of public health authorities and vaccines. However, the rate of vitamin K refusal began rising before the pandemic, with 2.92% of newborns not receiving the shot in 2017 compared to 5.18% in 2024.
Experts warn that refusing vitamin K for babies can be akin to "gambling with a child's health." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all newborns receive a single dose of vitamin K at birth, which has nearly eliminated the risk of VKDB among babies in the US.
The trend of vaccine skepticism and refusal is concerning, particularly when it comes to other vaccinations like hepatitis B. Just last week, a government advisory panel struck down decades-long recommendations for universal vaccination against hepatitis B.
The study's lead author notes that parents' growing skepticism of vaccines may be contributing to this trend. "Unfortunately, opting out of Vitamin K for a newborn is akin to gambling with a child's health, forgoing a straightforward and safe measure that effectively prevents severe complications," Dr. Kristan Scott said.
As the situation continues to unfold, it's essential for parents to consult reputable sources and follow established medical guidelines to ensure their babies receive the necessary vaccinations and care.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed medical records from over 5 million newborns between 2017 and 2024 and found that more families were opting out of the vitamin K shot. The study suggests that a growing perception among parents may be to blame, with some mistakenly believing the vaccine is unnecessary.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, and babies are born with relatively low levels. Without it, infants can develop a rare but potentially life-threatening condition called vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). If this occurs in the brain, it can lead to a stroke.
The researchers speculate that the COVID-19 pandemic may have fueled this trend, as some parents became increasingly skeptical of public health authorities and vaccines. However, the rate of vitamin K refusal began rising before the pandemic, with 2.92% of newborns not receiving the shot in 2017 compared to 5.18% in 2024.
Experts warn that refusing vitamin K for babies can be akin to "gambling with a child's health." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all newborns receive a single dose of vitamin K at birth, which has nearly eliminated the risk of VKDB among babies in the US.
The trend of vaccine skepticism and refusal is concerning, particularly when it comes to other vaccinations like hepatitis B. Just last week, a government advisory panel struck down decades-long recommendations for universal vaccination against hepatitis B.
The study's lead author notes that parents' growing skepticism of vaccines may be contributing to this trend. "Unfortunately, opting out of Vitamin K for a newborn is akin to gambling with a child's health, forgoing a straightforward and safe measure that effectively prevents severe complications," Dr. Kristan Scott said.
As the situation continues to unfold, it's essential for parents to consult reputable sources and follow established medical guidelines to ensure their babies receive the necessary vaccinations and care.
Vitamin K shots are literally lifesavers for newborns! I mean, what's the point of having a healthy baby if they're gonna be at risk of bleeding out from a stupid virus? 
My cousin just had her kid and she refused to get that shot and now her little one is like 6 months old and still not getting it... it's super concerning! 
What's going on with parents these days? Don't they know how important it is to follow the medical guidelines?! 
I'm all for informed decisions, but when it comes to our babies' health, we gotta trust the experts, you know?! 
They're literally lifesavers! I get that people have concerns but refusing them can be really reckless 
. And with vaccines being scrutinized all the time now... it's like we're living in a never-ending worry fest 
. The CDC is totally on top of this and they've got science backing up these vaccination guidelines, so parents should just stick to what they know works best 
.
. And what really freaks me out is that this trend started before COVID even! 
this is really concerning... I mean, vitamin K shots are literally a lifesaver for newborns, but some parents just aren't aware of the risks or are choosing to skip them anyway 
. and now we're seeing these serious bleeding complications happening left and right... it's scary thinking about 
. like, just last week, the government advisory panel decided to reconsider the universal hepatitis B vaccination recommendation... 
this is all very worrisome 
. parents need to do their research and consult reputable sources, or else we risk losing the hard-won gains in public health 
.
but some parents are just refusing it because they're scared of vaccines 
when it comes to kids' health. i've seen so many stories online about babies who got severe bleeding complications due to low vitamin k levels 
for real, it's crazy how some parents think the vaccine isn't necessary and just opt out. it's not about being anti-vax or anything, it's just... ignorance, i guess? 
knowing is power, right? like, just doing your research and following the CDC guidelines would save so many lives. but for some reason, people still do this 
I mean, what even is this? A study shows that more parents are refusing their newborns a crucial vitamin K shot, leaving them vulnerable to serious bleeding complications... and some parents think it's unnecessary?! 
Like, have they not heard of the phrase "do no harm"? 
It's Vitamin K, people! The one thing that can prevent your baby from bleeding out all over the place? Yeah, let's just leave that up to chance. 
And now experts are warning us about "gambling with a child's health" like it's some kind of wild card. Newsflash: vaccines aren't optional, and neither is a little thing called Vitamin K. 
. And what's scary is that it's not just vitamin K, other vaccines like hepatitis B are being hit by skepticism too 
. We need to make sure parents have access to reliable information and medical care to keep their babies safe. It's not about being "told" what to do, it's about doing what's best for your child 
.
. I mean, who needs a vaccine when you've got Google on your side, right? 
And honestly, I think its cool that parents are questioning everything and not blindly following the rules. Maybe this is just a sign of people waking up and taking responsibility for their own health choices 
.
I think some people are just being played by the system. They're so worried about 'natural' this and 'chemicals' that they're not thinking about what's really best for their kids. I mean, vitamin K is literally a lifesaver here! 
. And what really gets me is that some parents might be doing this because of a misguided perception about vaccines, when in reality, most vaccines are incredibly safe and effective 
.