Study links decline in newborn vitamin K shots to increased infant bleeding risk

The findings highlight a nationwide decline in newborn vitamin K administration and document associated bleeding risks for infants within the first six months of life, reinforcing public health recommendations for the injection at birth.

• •The percentage of newborns not receiving a vitamin K shot rose from 3.1% in 2017 to 6.8% by 2025.
• •The bleeding rate within the first six months of life was 288 per 10,000 infants who did not receive vitamin K.
• •The bleeding rate was 185.9 per 10,000 among infants who received the vitamin K shot.
• •The risk of intracranial bleeding was about 2.4 times higher among infants who did not receive vitamin K, after adjusting for other factors.
• •Bleeding rates also rose among infants who received vitamin K between 2017 and 2025.
• •The study was observational, establishing an association between missed vitamin K and increased bleeding risk without definitively proving direct cause and effect.
• •Newborns generally have low levels of vitamin K because only small amounts cross the placenta and breast milk contains low levels.
• •The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that newborns receive a one-time intramuscular vitamin K injection shortly after birth.