As Parents Skip Vitamin K Shots, Some Babies Are Seriously Hurt

When a mother brought her newborn to a Florida emergency room, the baby was bleeding from the umbilical cord stump. Dr. Jessica Kirk, a children's hospital doctor, had never seen anything like it before. She soon learned the baby had not received a standard vitamin K shot given to newborns right after birth. Without that shot, the baby's blood could not clot properly, and he was bleeding inside his body.

Dr. Kirk quickly gave the baby IV fluids, an emergency dose of vitamin K, and a plasma transfusion. She worked to arrange a transfer to a larger hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit — a special ward for very sick newborns. The baby's belly grew hard as blood filled it, and he began to lose consciousness. Kirk focused entirely on keeping him alive until a transport team could take him to better care.

This happened in 2021, and at that time it was still rare for Kirk to meet a baby who had not received the vitamin K shot. Today, many doctors say these cases are much more common. A study of medical records found that 5.2% of babies born in the U.S. in 2024 did not get the shot, up from 2.9% in 2017. That means tens of thousands more unprotected babies every year.

Doctors across the country are alarmed. More than 15 doctors told The New York Times they have seen the number of refusals grow even more in the past two years. Dr. Meghan Martin, a children's emergency doctor at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in Florida, said she and her team now treat a bleeding infant every month or two on average. 'It's not unusual anymore,' she said.

The vitamin K shot has been recommended for newborns since 1961. Babies are naturally low in vitamin K because it does not pass well from mother to baby before birth, and breast milk contains very little of it. One shot given within six hours of birth almost completely removes the risk of dangerous bleeding. The shot is considered very safe by medical experts.

Experts estimate that about 1 in 60 untreated babies — roughly 1.7% — will suffer a serious bleed in the first week of life. The bleeding is not always tracked nationally, but doctors have reported serious cases. More than a dozen doctors told the Times they had treated brain or abdominal bleeds in babies who did not receive vitamin K, mostly in the past five years. At least 12 of these babies died, and at least 14 others suffered brain damage.

The early signs of vitamin K deficiency bleeding can be hard to spot. A baby might seem unusually sleepy or have trouble feeding. Then, very quickly, the situation can become life-threatening. Some babies have seizures, vomit blood, or stop breathing before they are rushed to the hospital.

Doctors say misinformation online has played a big role in pushing more parents to refuse the shot. Some Facebook groups and internet forums aimed at expectant parents are filled with incorrect claims. Some parents worry about a preservative called benzyl alcohol in the shot, even though there is no proof of harm from the tiny amount used. Others believe the shot is linked to a type of cancer called leukemia, based on a small, old study that much larger studies have since disproved.

About 20% of vitamin K deficiency bleeds are fatal, according to estimates. Many babies who survive are left with brain damage that can cause paralysis, intellectual disabilities, or a long-term need for a feeding tube or a ventilator. Doctors who have treated these babies say the cases are unforgettable and heartbreaking. Dr. Donna Schoonover, a children's hospital doctor in Washington state, said she will never forget seeing an infant's eye pushed out of its socket by blood pooling inside the skull.

When parents learn their refusal of the shot may have led to their baby's condition, the emotional toll is enormous. Some struggle to accept the connection, while others are overwhelmed with guilt. Dr. Kirk later spoke with the pale-faced mother, who had watched the team fight for her child's life, and told her it was not her fault. 'But what I could not bring myself to say to her was, There's nothing you could have done,' Kirk said. 'I just couldn't say it.'