Yesterday, Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN of Evidence Based Birth published a thorough and comprehensive article about the research and evidence for administering the vitamin K shot to newborns after birth.
We are unable to make Vitamin K, a fat-soluable vitamin needed for clotting, ourselves and there are only 2 sources from which it comes; leafy green vegetables and the bacteria that lives within our intestines. Newborns who have not received the vitamin k shot can begin to spontaneously bleed, often without warning, in the brain, skin and the abdomen. Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB) is rare, about 4-11 infants per 100,00 births, but the implications can range from death to severe cognitive delays and brain damage. With the vitamin K shot, the incidence of VKDB is zero.
To read more about the research regarding the Vitamin K shot at birth, its ingredients, risk factors for VKDB, the effects of breastfeeding, and the link to childhood cancers, please visit, Evidence Based Birth. It’s certainly a worthy read for any expectant parent so they can make an informed decision about what is best for their baby.