What's happened
New studies show a sharp rise in vitamin K deficiency bleeding among U.S. newborns as more parents skip the routine vitamin K shot. Data from JAMA and JAMA Pediatrics indicate 6.8% of infants in 2025 did not receive the shot, up from 3.1% in 2017, with higher odds of brain bleeding and death during birth hospitalizations.
What's behind the headline?
Insightful Analysis
- The data show a clear, alarming trend: fewer newborns are receiving the vitamin K shot, and the consequences include a higher rate of intracranial and other bleeding events in the first six months of life.
- This is not a neutral shift; it establishes a measurable, population-level risk increase for serious morbidity and mortality in otherwise healthy infants.
- Responsibility now falls on clinicians and public health officials to address misinformation while maintaining trust in proven interventions. Communication should be precise about the shot’s role as a life-preserving measure, not a vaccine, and clarify that benefits accrue immediately after birth.
- If the trend continues, expect higher emergency department visits for VKDB and greater parental anxiety around newborn care. Health systems should consider targeted outreach in communities with rising non-receipt rates.
- The tension between personal choice and public health safety is driving policy and messaging decisions that will shape neonatal care for years.
How we got here
The vitamin K shot, recommended since 1961, prevents VKDB in newborns who cannot yet obtain dietary vitamin K. Recent reports show accelerating decline in shot administration amid growing public skepticism of health guidance, a trend that predates the COVID-19 era but has intensified in recent years.
Our analysis
New York Post reports a 6.8% non-receipt rate in 2025, up from 3.1% in 2017, with higher VKDB incidence and brain bleeds among those missing the shot. The New York Times corroborates a 347% rise in VKDB cases since 2017 and notes the wider mistrust of medical guidance, including vaccine-related discourse tied to public figures. Bloomberg summarizes the increased bleeding risk and death during birth hospitalizations for those missing vitamin K. Direct quotes and specific figures are drawn from the cited articles to illustrate the affected rates and shifting parental attitudes.
Go deeper
- Why are more parents skipping the vitamin K shot for newborns?
- What should new parents and providers do to navigate the rising VKDB risk?
- How might doctors address misinformation while preserving trust in neonatal care?
More on these topics
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The United States of America - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Vitamin K - Fat-soluble vitamins found in foods and marketed as dietary supplements
Vitamin K refers to structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamers found in foods and marketed as dietary supplements. The human body requires vitamin K for post-synthesis modification of certain proteins that are required for blood coagulation or for control
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American Academy of Pediatrics - Professional association
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an American professional association of pediatricians, headquartered in Itasca, Illinois. It maintains its Department of Federal Affairs office in Washington, D.C.