US EditionMore Americans refusing vitamin K shots for newborns, new study finds
Parental refusal of newborn vitamin K shots in the U.S. rose from under 3% to over 5% between 2017 and 2024, risking serious bleeding in about 200,000 infants, researchers said.
- Dr. Kristan Scott and colleagues reported Monday in JAMA that parental refusal of newborn vitamin K shots rose nearly 80%, from 2.92% to 5.18% between 2017 and 2024, based on records from more than five million births.
- Experts say vaccine hesitancy and social media misinformation drive refusals, with Dr. Tiffany McKee-Garrett noting parents often equate vitamin K shots to vaccines or prefer a 'natural' approach.
- The CDC reports newborns at risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding are more than 80 times likelier to bleed, with late-onset bleeding up to six months causing about a 20% mortality rate.
- Clinicians report more refusals and rising vitamin K deficiency bleeding, including hospitalizations and rare intracranial bleeds after home births, with Texas and Houston clinicians and Jaspreet Loyal observing risks.
- Researchers say oral vitamin K is less reliable, needs multiple doses, and shows weaker protection, prompting calls for more study; AAP recommended shots since 1961, preventing bleeds over 60 years.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Vitamin K shots prevent newborns from severe bleeds, but parents are increasingly declining them
Fewer babies are receiving vitamin K shots at birth, because their parents are declining them, a new CHOP study finds. Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting, and babies who are deficient are at higher risk of severe bleeds.
The Norfolk Daily News
More Parents Refuse Vitamin K Shot for Newborns, Study Finds
Key Takeaways
More Americans refusing vitamin K shots for newborns: Study
(The Hill) - More American newborns are not receiving vitamin K shots, according to a study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study found that from January 2017 to December 2024, 3.92 percent of the more than 5 million newborns in a U.S.-based electronic database did not receive a vitamin [...]
Researchers identify concerning increase in newborns not receiving preventative vitamin K shots
In a new study, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have uncovered an alarming trend—the proportion of newborn infants not receiving preventative vitamin K shots has increased by 77% since 2017. The findings are reported in JAMA.
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