Vitamin K
vitamin; vitamin K; infant; newborn; bleed; bruise; injection; blood; clot; HDN; VKDB; haemorrhagic; disease; K; deficiency; bleeding; ;
Contents
Vitamin K is needed by humans to cause blood to clot. Without vitamin K small cuts can go on bleeding for a long time, small injuries can cause a lot of bruising, and bleeding can occur in many parts of the body, including in the brain, causing a stroke.
Vitamin K is mostly made by bacteria in our gut because humans are unable to make vitamin K themselves. These bacteria do not cause illness. Only a small amount of vitamin K comes from food.
Vitamin K at birth
All newborn babies have low levels of vitamin K. Only a little vitamin K goes through the placenta to the baby, and at birth a baby's gut is sterile (there are no bacteria in the gut).
After birth there is little vitamin K in breast milk and breast fed babies can be low in vitamin K for several weeks until the gut bacteria start to make it.
Infant formula has added vitamin K, but formula fed babies have very low levels of vitamin K for several days.
Why is it given?
It is recommended that all babies are given vitamin K at birth to prevent a bleeding problem called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB). This bleeding is rare even when babies are not given extra vitamin K, but if it happens it can cause severe harm to a baby, including death or severe brain damage.
Recommendation
The recommendation is that all babies be given vitamin K by injection. It can be given orally (by mouth) but 2 doses (for formula fed babies) or 3 doses (for breastfed babies) are needed and oral doses do not give as good protection.
Vitamin K has been given to newborn babies in Australia since about 1980 and during that time it seems that no problems have occurred.
Further information
References
National Health and Medical Research Council, Paediatric Division of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian College of Midwives Inc 'Joint statement and recommendations on Vitamin K administration to newborn infants to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding in infancy' (October 2000 - reviewed and reissued 2006)
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/fullhtml/jointk.htm
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.