While Vitamin K, known for its critical role in blood clotting, is produced in sufficient amounts by nutrients and intestinal bacteria in adults, the situation is completely different for newborns. Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin from the Department of Medical Biochemistry stated that babies are born deficient in this vital vitamin, which makes them susceptible to the risk of “newborn hemorrhagic (bleeding) disease,” adding, “The most important and negative consequence of vitamin K deficiency is intracranial hemorrhage and bleeding in internal organs.”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin, explaining that a baby in this condition might not only lose its life but also face significant problems such as intellectual disability and paralysis due to brain damage, said, “A single dose of vitamin K administered to newborn babies immediately after birth prevents the deficiency of this vitamin and the subsequent bleeding and negative consequences.”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin from Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine (English) Department of Medical Biochemistry evaluated the topic of vitamin K injection administered to newborn babies immediately after birth.
Babies are born with low levels of Vitamin K stores
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin stated that Vitamin K is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that can be stored in the body, adding, “It plays very important roles in blood clotting. In case of deficiency, bleeding, clotting disorders, and consequently, disorders in many tissues and organs of the body can occur. In healthy individuals, most of the Vitamin K required by the body is supplied from consumed foods and healthy bacteria in our intestines. However, babies are born with low levels of Vitamin K stores and do not have enough bacteria in their intestines to produce Vitamin K on their own. Furthermore, the need for Vitamin K cannot be adequately met until complementary foods are started in addition to breast milk from the 6th month onwards.”
Single-dose Vitamin K prevents negative consequences
Prof. Dr. Tekkeşin pointed out that babies are at risk and continued:
“This insufficient amount causes newborn babies to be at risk of newborn hemorrhagic (bleeding) disease. Newborn hemorrhagic (bleeding) disease is a bleeding disorder seen in babies. Due to low Vitamin K stores, there is a tendency for this deficiency and bleeding even in normal newborns. The disease runs longer and more severely, especially in premature babies. Bleeding can occur inside or outside the body. The most important and negative consequence of Vitamin K deficiency is intracranial hemorrhage and bleeding in internal organs. A baby in this condition might not only lose its life but also face significant problems such as intellectual disability and paralysis due to brain damage. A single dose of Vitamin K administered to newborn babies immediately after birth prevents the deficiency of this vitamin and the subsequent bleeding and negative consequences.”
Prof. Dr. Tekkeşin stated that Vitamin K has been administered to all newborn babies via injection at birth for more than 20 years, adding, “However, in addition to having a program in place for administering the injections, parents should be informed about why the Vitamin K injection is given.”
Vitamin K Injections or Drops
Prof. Dr. Tekkeşin stated that in the past, Vitamin K supplementation was also given via drops, but this method was proven not to be as effective as injection, and advised families not to hesitate on this matter. Recalling that serious bleeding cases occurred during the period when the drop method was applied, Prof. Dr. Tekkeşin said, “It is very clear that receiving Vitamin K with a single injection is safer and more effective than three sets of drops. Vitamin K injections continue to be the best preventive measure to reduce the risk of newborn hemorrhagic disease.”
Families have a choice, but the recommendation remains
Prof. Dr. Tekkeşin stated that families are not obliged to allow Vitamin K injections for their babies, but it is “strongly recommended,” and added that in Turkey, this practice is carried out as a standard under preventive health services by a circular from the Ministry of Health.
Emphasizing the importance of informing families, Tekkeşin concluded, “Parents are not obliged to allow their babies to have a Vitamin K injection, but it is strongly recommended that they do so. In our country, in accordance with the Ministry of Health's Circular No. 2021/11 and its instructions, prepared with the recommendations of the Scientific Committee, intramuscular (into the muscle) Vitamin K application is performed for all newborn babies immediately after birth as part of preventive health services. Some babies experience mild pain at the injection site for one or two days. Vitamin K injections continue to be the best preventive measure to reduce the risk of newborn hemorrhagic disease.”