We will do our best to answer this and many other similar questions in this article which should ease your mind regarding this subject.
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In newborns, vitamin K injections can prevent a now rare, but potentially fatal, bleeding disorder called ‘vitamin K deficiency bleeding’ (VKDB), also known as ‘haemorrhagic disease of the newborn’ (HDN). If you are giving birth in a private hospital, make sure you ask when you are making your booking if there is a cost involved.
What Is Vitamin K?
We get vitamin K from the foods we eat, such as green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, and eggs.
Why Does My Newborn Need Vitamin K?
Babies are born with a very small amount of vitamin K. Not having enough can cause bleeding that doesn’t stop because there isn’t enough vitamin K to form a clot.
How Is Vitamin K Given To Babies?
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that doctors give newborns vitamin K by injection. Giving vitamin K by mouth is not as effective as by injection. Babies who get vitamin K by mouth are an increased risk of late vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which can occur within 2 to 12 weeks after birth and up to 6 months of age.
You can also try breastfeeding at the same time to comfort your baby.
Background
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The success of vitamin K prophylaxis has been so dramatic that many practitioners have never seen an infant afflicted with “Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn,” now known as “Vitamin K Deficient Bleeding.”. It is a popular trend in some areas to refuse prophylaxis in an effort to keep things “natural” for the infant, however, it is important to keep in mind that the infants most at risk for the classic form of the disease are healthy babies who are exclusively breastfe.
Why Your Baby Needs Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps your baby’s blood to clot and prevents serious bleeding. About 1 in 10,000 babies develops VKDB. Around 7 out of every 100 babies who develop VKDB will die.