More Parents Are Turning Down Vitamin K Shots for Newborns — How Important Is It?

When a baby is born in a medical facility in the U.S., chances are high that they will be offered a range of treatments and tests that are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes some of very first shots that are included on the childhood immunization list.

Vitamin K is among the first of the injections given to babies right after they are born, and that has been the standard of care since the early 1960s.

However, many parents are curious why vitamin K shots are recommended for newborns, which has prompted several new and expectant caregivers to learn a bit more about the vaccination, including why it's recommended and any possible side effects.

The good news is that administering a vitamin K shot has been the standard of care for decades now, so health experts have plenty of information about the dose and the potentially lifesaving properties, and you can learn more about it below.

When babies are first born, they typically have low levels of vitamin K, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's because of how little of the nutrient is transferred from the parents to the child during pregnancy, which leaves babies vulnerable to something called Vitamin K-Deficient Bleeding (VKDB).

Babies are exposed to this potentially life-threatening condition, sometimes also called hemorrhagic disease of the newborn, for the first six months of their lives.

That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics began recommending the shot to newborns starting in 1961. Fortunately, with so many years of data to look at, experts are confident that there is no danger to babies who are given vitamin K when they are born.

But that hasn't stopped parents from worrying about their babies and vitamin K. According to a 2025 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, more parents are opting out of the newborn dose.

According to researchers, 3 percent of parents declined the shot in 2017, a figure which rose to 5 percent in 2024.

"The increase is not surprising, but the degree to which it did increase did catch me off guard," Dr. Kristan Scott, a neonatologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the leader of the study, told NBC News.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the most common side effects of the intramuscular (IM) vitamin K shot include mild pain or soreness at the injection site as well as some bruising. To minimize these effects, doctors tend to recommend administering the shot while the baby is nursing.

However, the potential side effects of not giving your child the shot are much more severe, and can include things like organ failure, seizures, and coma.

That's because the biggest symptom of VKDB is uncontrolled bleeding, which can happen without a parent or doctor noticing at first, since it typically involves internal bleeding. However, some additional symptoms of a vitamin K deficiency that may happen even when a child isn't bleeding include pale skin, blood or dark stool, vomiting, sleepiness, bruising (especially on the head), and small red spots across the body.

If you are worried that your baby may be experiencing a vitamin K deficiency, you should contact their healthcare provider immediately. And, if you believe that your baby is showing signs of uncontrolled bleeding, you should head to the nearest emergency room.