Soon after your baby is born, you will be asked whether you would like them to have a vitamin K supplement.
What is vitamin K?
Vitamin K is a vitamin the body needs for blood clotting and to prevent abnormal bleeding. Vitamin K is found in many foods, especially green leafy vegetables and oils such as olive oil. It is also produced by the bacteria that live in your intestine.
Why do newborn babies need vitamin K supplements?
When your baby is born, the amount of vitamin K stored in their liver is between 30 and 60% of the amount stored by an adult. It is not known why this is the case.
Very little vitamin K is passed from you to your baby across your placenta. It also takes time for the bacteria in your baby’s intestine to produce vitamin K. If your baby does not receive additional vitamin K their stores can quickly become depleted.
Breast milk contains small amounts of vitamin K. Breastfeeding your baby in the first hour after they are born and making sure your baby feeds regularly and efficiently will replenish your baby’s vitamin K levels.
Most babies will have stored a level of vitamin K similar to that found in an adult by the time they are six weeks old. This is usually enough to prevent problems.
Vitamin K deficiency bleeding
However, a small number of babies develop a rare but serious disorder called ‘vitamin K deficiency bleeding’ (VKDB), previously known as ‘haemorrhagic disease of the newborn’. This disorder can cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, umbilicus (tummy button), bowels or into the brain. Bleeding in the brain can cause brain damage or can even be fatal.
The risk of your baby developing VKDB is virtually eliminated if your baby is given a vitamin K supplement.
In the UK, you’ll be offered vitamin K as an injection for your baby. If you prefer, they can have it orally instead, although they will need further doses.
The Department of Health recommends that all babies are given a vitamin K supplement at birth.
Vitamin K by injection
The main advantage of a vitamin K injection given through the intramuscular route in the thigh is that your baby will only need one dose. It’s also more effective for preventing HDN. The major disadvantage is that it’s invasive and can cause pain and a small bruise where the injection was given.
If your baby is given vitamin K by injection their levels will remain higher for longer than those babies who are given vitamin K orally (by mouth). This is because it remains stored in the muscle where it was injected.
Vitamin K orally
Oral vitamin K is easy to administer, non-invasive and can be given easily by your midwife, with two doses given in the baby’s first week and one given at one month. If they’re formula-fed, it can be given in their bottle. The main disadvantage is that it’s not guaranteed that it will be absorbed as some babies may vomit after taking it.
Source: NHS