Vitamin K is an essential vitamin that the body produces naturally and that you can consume through food and drink. However, most people do not get enough Vitamin K through these methods, so doctors recommend giving a Vitamin K shot to children immediately after birth. Children who do not get the shot are at risk for developing Vitamin K deficiency bleeding, also known as Vitamin K deficiency disorder.
In addition to strengthening the bones and teeth, Vitamin K is crucial in blood clotting. Therefore, babies who have insufficient Vitamin K are at risk for excessive bleeding should they cut themselves. Additionally, babies with insufficient Vitamin K are at risk for internal bleeding, which is extremely dangerous because you cannot always spot internal bleeding right away.
The biggest risk of Vitamin K deficiency bleeding is that a baby will bleed internally into the brain or intestines. When this happens, there is almost always long-term damage, not to mention the risk of death. Technically, anyone can get Vitamin K deficiency bleeding at any age. However, babies are at significantly higher risk because they cannot eat solid foods, and their bodies are not able to produce enough Vitamin K to protect them.
The best way to protect your newborn from Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) is to ensure they receive a Vitamin K shot when they are born. The shot will instantly get enough Vitamin K into their system to protect them until they can start ingesting Vitamin K and produce their own.
Babies who do not get the Vitamin K shot are at risk for VKDB for the first six months of their lives. After that, if they consume enough Vitamin K in their diet, the risk is mitigated.
After receiving the shot, doctors may run tests on your baby to confirm they received enough of the dosage. If they did not, a second shot may be necessary. If your baby did not receive the shot soon enough and they are suffering from excessive internal or external bleeding, the shot can help their blood clot. However, it typically is not fast acting enough to stop an active bleed, and additional treatments will be necessary.
In the case of active bleeding, treatment focuses on stopping the bleeding by whatever means necessary. For an external bleed, your doctor will use bandages, stitches, and other devices to stop the bleeding. With an internal bleed, your doctor must first locate the source of the bleeding and then stop it as quickly as possible. Whether or not surgery is necessary depends on the source of the bleeding and what causes it. Therefore, further testing may be necessary.
If your baby is bleeding out, Vitamin K may not be strong enough of a clotting factor to stop the bleeding. Therefore, before turning to surgery, your doctor will administer blood plasma transfusions. Blood plasma transfusions contain essential clotting factors that will help your babies’ blood clot faster than with Vitamin K alone.
Blood plasma transfusions may also be necessary once the bleeding is under control if your baby has lost too much blood. Transfusions will resupply your baby with fresh blood, potentially saving its life.
While Vitamin K deficiency bleeding was once a common problem, it has mostly gone away thanks to Vitamin K shots. These shots are standard treatment for all newborns and have saved countless lives. Whether you plan to breastfeed or formula-feed your baby, a Vitamin K shot is necessary. Breastmilk does not have enough Vitamin K to offer protection, and formula may might not either, depending on the type you use.