Dr. Harrison Banner explains why vitamin K shots are recommended for newborns
As medical misinformation spreads online, medical professionals are routinely finding themselves having to combat the misguided advice many people come across. Vitamin K shots for newborns are one of the latest subjects being impacted, with many parents questioning their use and need.
Dr. Harrison Banner is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). He answers questions regarding vitamin K and why it is safe and recommended for newborns.
Why are vitamin K shots recommended for newborns immediately after birth and what risks do they prevent?
Dr. Harrison Banner: Newborns have very little vitamin K in their bodies since it is primarily obtained from food like leafy green vegetables and bacterial synthesis in the gut. Newborns do not have their own vitamin K in large amounts for the first few weeks or months of life because it doesn't pass through the placenta from the mother in large amounts and very little is passed through breast milk.
Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and the vitamin K shot basically gives babies enough to allow their blood to clot before they can produce their own vitamin K.
What is vitamin K deficiency bleeding and how serious can it be for infants who do not receive the shot?
Dr. Harrison Banner: Vitamin K deficiency bleeding means the clotting pathway doesn't work as a result of not having that critical vitamin. This can lead to very serious bleeding, particularly in the intestines and in the brain. Babies who have not had the vitamin K shot have been shown to be at 81 times greater risk for developing vitamin K deficiency bleeding than those who did get the shot.
Severe cases can lead to long-term disability or even death if there is significant enough brain bleeding. We are not used to seeing it in Canada because most babies traditionally have received the shot. This has led to an underappreciation of how serious vitamin K deficiency bleeding can be.
Hesitancy to get the shot is growing, what are the concerns you are hearing from parents?
Dr. Harrison Banner: I think it's first important to acknowledge that parents have the right to make decisions for their children. I go into any discussion with the assumption that parents are trying to do what they think is best for their child.
I think those who are hesitant have likely been exposed to some of the misinformation that's out there on the internet and in other places. Some misinformation claims an association between vitamin K and childhood cancers, which has been disproved over many studies over the last several decades.
Others have raised concerns about not knowing what kind of additives are in the shot or they don’t feel that it is natural to give a baby a medication. For these parents, I like to have conversations where I do my best to listen to these parental concerns and provide my perspective based on my training and expertise and explain how safe these shots are and why they have been widely recommended.
Some parents have expressed a preference for giving oral Vitamin K, but unfortunately these formulations have been shown to be less effective than the injection as newborns lack the gut bacteria required to absorb them properly.
Have you noticed an uptick in people questioning or asking you for information about vitamin K in recent years?
Dr. Harrison Banner: Yes, I would say particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, hesitancy around childhood vaccination and vitamin K has been much more common than it was before. It’s certainly a conversation that we’re having with parents more often.
Where can people go for information on vitamin K shots?
Dr. Harrison Banner: I would go to your health care provider as a primary source; whether that's your midwife, your obstetrician, your family physician, your pediatrician, whoever it is that's looking after you and your newborn. I would utilize their expertise and have a conversation about your questions and concerns.
I would also urge people to use good judgment when choosing information sources on the internet. There is good information from The Canadian Pediatric Society on their website Caring for Kids, as well from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Both have good evidence-based information that is easy for families to understand.
Is there anything else you want the public to know about vitamin K shots?
Dr. Harrison Banner: The shot has been recommended for more than 60 years in Canada and the United States. This is not a new medication; this is not a new technology. It has been shown to be safe for a long time and the major public health agencies around the world recommend the shot.
It is an inexpensive and safe intervention that does save lives and protect babies. It's important for health care providers and parents to recognize our common ground: We are here to try to help look out for the health of your newborn.