R Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today 12/9/25: More parents refusing this shot that prevents serious bleeding at birth
Am excerpt:
“An injection of vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting, within six hours of birth has been a standard practice in the U.S. since 1961.
Since babies are born with low levels of the vitamin, they are more prone to serious bleeding, especially in the brain and gastrointestinal tract, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)…
Using electronic medical record data, the study’s authors reviewed more than 5 million births at over 40 hospitals across all 50 states between 2017 and 2024. The number of infants who did not receive the shot at birth rose from 2.92% in 2017 to 5.18% in 2024, according to the report…
Since 1961, the AAP has recommended that a single shot of vitamin K be given at birth to protect against bleeding. All babies are born deficient in vitamin K.”
My take: Avoidance of Vitamin K in the newborn period indicates a mistrust of the medical system as well as desire for a more “natural” birth experience. However, this increases the chance than an infant will have permanent severe brain damage. When parents refuse Vitamin K, they are playing Russian roulette with their newborn’s life.
Related blog posts:
gutsandgrowth 