Infants are bleeding out after parents decline vitamin K shots given at birth

An analysis of more than 5 million births nationwide identified an ongoing drop in newborns receiving a vitamin K shot that helps prevent dangerous bleeding , with the number of babies not receiving the shot rising from 2.92% in 2017 to 5.18% in 2024—a 77% increase . Parent refusal is likely a significant factor in this decline. Lack of vitamin K puts infants at risk of bleeding in the brain and throughout the body during the first six months of life , a condition that can be severe and even deadly .

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-05-06