Should my baby have vitamin K injection?

Should my baby have vitamin K injection?

Vitamin K helps your baby’s blood to clot. Babies need more vitamin K than they get from their mother during pregnancy or from breast milk. Parents of all newborns are offered a vitamin K injection for their baby soon after birth. This helps prevent babies from becoming vitamin K deficient.

Why do they give babies vitamin K injection?

Vitamin K for newborn babies You’ll be offered an injection of vitamin K for your baby. This helps prevent a rare bleeding disorder called haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Your midwife should have discussed the injection with you while you were pregnant.

Is vitamin K recommended for newborns?

Since 1961, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended supplementing low levels of vitamin K in newborns with a single shot of vitamin K given at birth. Low levels of vitamin K can lead to dangerous bleeding in newborns and infants.

Why do parents decline vitamin K for their newborns?

Despite American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, some parents refuse IM vitamin K as prophylaxis against vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) for their newborn.

Why do people refuse vitamin K for babies?

The frequency of refusal of intramuscular vitamin K by parents ranged from 0% to 3.2% in US hospitals, up to 14.5% in home births, and up to 31.0% in birthing centers. Reported reasons for refusal were concern of harm from the injection, a desire to be natural, and a belief in alternative methods of prophylaxis.

Can I refuse vitamin K shot for newborn?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends intramuscular (IM) injection of vitamin K at birth to eliminate Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding in Newborns (VKDB). In recent years, reports of parents refusing the vitamin K injection for their newborns in the United States (U.S)2–4 and other countries have increased.

Can I refuse vitamin K for my newborn?

Vitamin K is an essential intervention recommended for all newborns to prevent Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), and has been part of newborn care since 1961. Unfortunately, parental refusal of neonatal vitamin K has been increasing.

Can the vitamin K shot cause jaundice?

Another myth is that the vitamin K injection increases the risk of jaundice—which is inaccurate. Jaundice associated with vitamin K has been observed only in high risk babies (such as premature babies) in doses 30-60 times higher than the dose we give.

What are the symptoms of vitamin K overdose?

Vitamin K toxicity is extremely rare. The only reported toxicity comes from menadione, which has no use in humans. Its toxicity is thought to be associated with its water-soluble properties. When toxicity does occur, it manifests with signs of jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, hemolytic anemia, and kernicterus in infants.

How long does vitamin K stay in your system?

“Vitamin K1 has a relatively short half-life and is rapidly cleared from the blood and is cleared by the liver within eight hours. In comparison vitamin K2 has a longer half-life of up to 72 hours, meaning it remains biologically active in the body for longer.

What are the side effects of vitamin K injection?

Pain, swelling, or soreness at the injection site may occur. Temporary flushing, taste changes, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, sweating, shortness of breath, or bluish lips/skin/nails may also rarely occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.