Vitamin K Shots in Newborns

Note to My Readers

Vaccinations and injections of any kind have been a hot topic in the alternative news sector for a long time. Today I discuss the Vitamin K shot given to newborn babies. I am a very skeptical person and as a self-proclaimed scientist, I question everything. I do not, however, question validated evidence based research. The facts do not lie. I want to take this opportunity to mention that I believe strongly in the protective effects of immunizations and American Academy of Pediatrics recommended shots. If you are questioning the effectiveness or safety of the Vitamin K shot, take a read to find out what the most current research recommends and speak to your doctor about benefits of immunizations and vitamin shots. Please leave me a comment below the references section of this post.

The Controversy

Alex Jones, the American radio show host and conspiracy theorist, interviews a woman who claims to have worked for Merck, a developer for vaccines, and now promotes an anti-vaccine campaign. They discuss the levels of Mercury and alcohol contained in the Vitamin K shot. The source of the ingredients of the injection are cell phone images of packages sent in by a nurse at a hospital. Neither of these individuals are doctors, trained medical professionals, or experts on health care in any way shape or form.

These are misinformed individuals spreading information that lacks any scientific evidence to over 38,000 YouTube viewers. Jones goes on to say that we should not be providing injections to infants and that there is a larger driving force of negative intentions from the pharmaceutical industry in America. He says, “unless you want to cause problems down the road. What I believe with all these [injections] in babies in these large amounts is that it is causing people to be lifelong patients of the pharmaceutical companies.” (Jones, 2015).

In April of 2017, a 5-week-old boy was hospitalized in Australia due to his parent’s refusal of the Vitamin K shot. The baby suffered from brain hemorrhaging and serious lifelong damage. His caregivers claimed they denied the Vitamin K vaccine, but the Vitamin K shot is not a vaccine. It is a routine shot given to children since the 1960’s. In 2014, seven babies were treated at Vanderbilt hospital for Vitamin K deficiency bleeding. There is currently no tracking method to determine how many parents are refusing the Vitamin K shot, so it is difficult to determine national statistics.

If you look at the Healthy Home Economist’s website, there is an article titled “Skip that Newborn Vitamin K Shot” with over 38,000 shares written by Sarah Pope. The author’s arguments list a series of “dangerous” chemicals, and an opinion that oral Vitamin K is safer than the shot. She shares her conclusion that mothers should “skip the shot, eat your greens, and breastfeed. Now, THAT makes some sense” (Pope, 2017). Sarah Pope is a self-proclaimed nutrition blogger, author who writes about “the effective, practical application of traditional diet and holistic, evidence-based wellness” (Pope, 2017). She does not have a medical degree or nutrition degree; she studied Economics and holds a Masters in Government Administration with a major in Public Financial Management.

Facts

Despite unqualified media figures voicing opinions about the Vitamin K shot's effectiveness and safety, the Centers for Disease Control confidently recommends the Vitamin K shot as safe and necessary for all newborn babies.

Why do infants need the Vitamin K shot?

Vitamin K is created by bacteria in our gut and from foods we eat like green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin K is not easily passed through the placenta to infants, not created by the most abundant bacteria in their gut, lactobacillus, and they do not consume solid foods until 6 months of age (Stanford, 2017). Babies are born without large stores of Vitamin K and breast milk does not contain enough of the vitamin to supply the needs of newborns (Stanford, 2017). Even eating large amounts of Vitamin K in the diet or supplementing will not sequester enough for solely breastfed babies (CDC, 2017). Vitamin K is used to clot the blood and low levels put infants at risk for Vitamin K Deficiency bleeding (VKDB). This is a serious illness that can cause long term effects and possible death from brain bleeding. An infant that is not given the Vitamin K shot is 81 times more likely to develop VKDB (CDC, 2017).

There are three forms of VKDB: early onset within the first 24 hours, classic disease- onset within 2-7 days, and late onset- between 2 weeks and 6 months. Early onset is a severe disorder and is typically associated with mothers who were taking medications that interfere with Vitamin K metabolism such as anticonvulsants (CDC, 2017). Classic VKDB signs include bruising and bleeding from the umbilical cord. Late onset is the most dangerous type and 30-60% of these cases have bleeding in the brain (CDC, 2017). All three types can be prevented with the Vitamin K shot.

What is in the shot?

The injection contains a majority of Vitamin K, as well as smaller amounts of safe chemicals for preservation, maintenance of PH and consistency of the solution (CDC, 2017). Some of these ingredients include benzyl alcohol, a commonly used preservative in medications.

In the 1980’s, a small number of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care units had benzyl alcohol toxicity. The amount of benzyl alcohol within the Vitamin K shot is a safe level and doctors are cautious in providing an excessive amount of benzyl alcohol to premature infants (CDC, 2017).

A small study conducted in the 1990’s found an association between leukemia and the Vitamin K shot. Since that time, many studies have been done that disprove these results. A 1992 study in the United Kingdom questioned the association between intramuscular vitamin K administration in newborns and an increased incidence of childhood cancer. Using data from the National Registry of Childhood Tumors, cumulative incidence of childhood leukemia was estimated. Rates of intramuscular vitamin K use were analyzed and failed to show a correlation between increased use of intramuscular vitamin K and the incidence of childhood leukemia (Committee on Fetus and Newborn, 2003).

The Vitamin K Ad Hoc Task Force of the American Academy of Pediatrics reviewed the reports and concluded that there was no association between the intramuscular administration of Vitamin K and childhood leukemia or other cancers (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993). The CDC contends that the cancer and Vitamin K shot association was never found again in any research study (CDC, 2017).

Why Is the Shot Better Than Oral Vitamin K?

1. The Vitamin K goes into the muscle where it is released over time into the bloodstream for several weeks (Stellwagen, 2017).

2. The injection avoids problems and variations in absorption into the baby’s blood that can be a concern (Stellwagen, 2017).

3. Vitamin K injection protects best against all types of VKDB (CDC, 2017).

4. In countries that have switched to oral routes, failures have been reported (Stanford, 2017).

Take Home

Vitamin K Deficient Bleeding has decreased significantly since the routine administration of Vitamin K shots to infants. The intervention has been so effective since the 1960’s that many doctors have never seen the disorder (Stanford, 2017). The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are both outspoken about the efficacy and safety of Vitamin K shots. The research shows it is the best way to prevent this potentially life-threatening condition in a newborn. The concerns of cancer have been studied and shown to be an incorrect association. Benzyl alcohol, for preservation, is used in a very low, safe amount for infants. Oral administration is not as successful and babies cannot receive the necessary amounts from breast milk. The shot is safe, effective, and can prevent a possibly fatal disease in the newborn.

References

Jones, Alex. 2015. Whistle-Blower Nurse Exposes More Toxins in the Vitamin K Shot. Accessed October 5, 2017 via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_hWBi0lsUE.

American Academy of Pediatrics. 1993. Vitamin K Ad Hoc Task Force. Controversies concerning vitamin K and the newborn. Pediatrics.1993;91 :1001– 1003.

CDC. 2017. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s): Vitamin K and the Vitamin K Shot Given at Birth. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/vitamink/faqs.html

CDC. 2017. Protect Babies from Life-threatening Bleeding — Talk to Expectant Parents about the Benefits of the Vitamin K Shot for Newborns. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/documents/vitamin-k-provider.pdf

Committee on Fetus and Newborn. 2003. Controversies Concerning Vitamin K and the Newborn. PEDIATRICS Vol. 112 No. 1 July 01, 2003. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/112/1/191.

Stanford. 2017. Guidelines for Vitamin K Prophylaxis. https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/clinical-guidelines/vitamink.html

Stellwagen, Lisa, 2017. Vitamin K Fact Sheet. UC San Diego Health System. https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/obgyn/maternity/resources/Documents/Vit%20K%20fact%20sheet.pdf.

Pope, Sarah. 2017. The Health Home Economist. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/skip-that-newborn-vitamin-k-shot/.