Infant Bleeding Cases Surge as More Parents Refuse Vitamin K Shots for Newborns

Infant Bleeding Cases Surge as More Parents Refuse Vitamin K Shots for Newborns

Experts say the rise in refusals of vitamin K shots for newborns may be linked to vaccine hesitancy and mixed public health messaging. FatCamera/E+Getty Images Vitamin K shot refusal rates among U.S. newborns more than doubled from 3.1% in 2017 to 6.8% in 2025, while cases of vitamin K deficiency bleeding nearly quadrupled during the same period. Infants who don’t receive the vitamin K shot have a 47% higher risk of bleeding and more than twice the risk of intracranial bleeding, which can be fatal. The shot reduces the risk of late-onset bleeding by approximately 98%. The vitamin K shot is a nutrient injection, not a vaccine, and experts attribute rising refusal rates to vaccine hesitancy, conflicting public health messaging, and medical distrust fueled by misinformation on social media. Two large studies published on November 5 link declining newborn vitamin K shot rates to a sharp increase in infant bleeding cases, including potentially fatal brain hemorrhages. A research letter, published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzed data on approximately 11 million infants from 2017 to 2025 and found that vitamin K administration declined from 97.7% to 95%, while cases of vitamin K deficiency b

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Source: Google Health