Fewer Newborns Receiving Protective Vitamin Shot

Babies need vitamin K for their body to make blood clots. Blood clots are how the body stops itself from bleeding. But babies aren’t born with vitamin K. And they don’t start making it until they begin eating solid foods.

Most babies born in the U.S. get a vitamin K shot after birth. Without it, babies are at risk of bleeding in the brain and the body in the first six months of life. While rare, this is a serious condition that can lead to death. But a recent study found that the number of babies getting the shot is declining.

Researchers looked at more than 5 million babies born in the U.S. from 2017 to 2024. In 2017, almost 3% of babies didn’t receive the shot. In 2024, about 5% of babies didn’t receive the shot.

It’s not clear why the number of babies receiving the shot is going down. More studies are needed to see if the decrease in vitamin K shots is leading to an increase in bleeding problems for babies.

“There may be a growing perception among parents that vitamin K is unnecessary,” says Dr. Kristan Scott of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “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.”