It is not a fun watching a new baby shortly after birth, but one vitamin K injection provides important protection for the frightening condition.

“Vitamin K injection is a vital new-born measure to prevent potentially destructive brain bleeding,” says Chandani Dezure, MD, Pediatrician, Neonatal and Pediatric Hospitalist in Palo Alto, California and a Medical Advisory Committee Babycenter.

Here are more about Vitamin K and how the recording works.

What is vitamin k?

Vitamin K helps clot blood and stops bleeding. It is a vitamin soluble in fat – which means that it is stored in the liver and fatty tissue for later use.

Some vegetables contain vitamin K, and are also produced in small amounts of good bacteria in guts.

Because it does not exceed placenta, babies are born with very small amounts of vitamin K., but breastfeeding (even if breastfeeding), nor is it necessary to provide a newborn with vitamin K they are needed until they start eating solids, about 4 to 6 months.

In addition, until they start eating solids, baby hoses usually don’t have vitamin hens.

Why do newborns receive vitamin K recording?

Newborns receive vitamin K pulopean to reinforce their vitamin K levels and helped their blood clot.

“During the first few weeks of life, vitamin K disadvantage can cause bleeding vitamin KA (VKDB), a state that is previously known as a classic hemorrhagic newborn disease” Says National Health OfficeOpens a new window (Nih).

This spontaneous, serious bleeding occurs when the baby’s vitamin K levels are so low that their blood cannot clump, and start bleeding.

“Infants who do not receive Vitamin K Birth can develop VKDB at any time up to 6 months of age,” According to centers for disease control and preventionOpens a new window (CDC).

Bleeding can occur anywhere in the body – from outside (from cutting, for example) or internally, in the brain or other organs. Bleeding in the brain can cause permanent damage or brain death.

This is really dangerous to pass. … I definitely always get Vitamin K for my baby.

– Member of the Community for Babycenter Wiinonone

There are three types of VKDB:

Early attacks vkdb It happens in the first 24 hours of birth, most often in mothers who take certain medications (such as anti-fields and anticoagulants) that affect the way the body uses Vitamin K.

Classic VKDB It is typically displayed between two days and one week of life, usually during the day two to three, when vitamin K levels are the lowest. Baby may have a bruise on the body or bleeding from the umbilical ribbon.

Late attacks vkdb It usually happens from one week to six months after birth, most often two to eight weeks Postpartum. The biggest risk is in breasts that did not receive vitamin K recording recording, but it can happen in babies with liver problems. This is the most dangerous VKDB. In 30% to 60% of the late initial cases, bleeding in the brain.

Babies with VKDB may have visible bleeding (for example in the umbilical ribbon or nose) or may have blood in urine or chair. But they can also have symptoms until the problem is serious because bleeding is internal.

“Usually no warning signs before the baby’s life is endangered,” says the CDC. One of every 5 babies with VKDB dies. But “,” VKDB is recorded with a one-time intramuscular image of vitamin K at birth. “

Note: If your baby is circumcised, the recording will probably be required and will reduce the risk of bleeding during the proceedings.

“I personally decide to give my newborns, vitamin to the video or oral doses because I am exclusively a nurse and make small babies, and are technically my babies for greater risk.” Babel community Member chapstick28. “Although the risk is still relatively small in general, research shows that it is really good in preventing serious things (like death) if you are happy and your baby has a problem.”

When newborn babies get a vitamin K shot?

Vitamin K Shot is standard after delivery. It’s okay to have time on the skin and pull your baby, but the recording should be given in the first six hours of birth – and ideally in the first hour, says Dr. Desure.

Some of the vitamins to your baby receives from shooting goes directly into the bloodstream to immediately reinforce vitamin K that circulates in their system.

“It provides enough vitamin K, so the levels of newborns do not fall hazardously low in the first few days of life,” he explains the CDC.

The rest is kept in the liver and is released in the next few months.

“I didn’t even hesitate when they asked me for my permission when I had a son,” says the community member in Babycenter Ktlou1221. “I’ll be 100% working with a girl.”

What is the dose of vitamin to a given newborn?

The The US Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendsOpens a new window that all newborn infants weigh more than 1,500 grams (3.3 kilograms) receive a single intramuscular dose (given in thigh) of 1 milligrams of vitamin K.

For early infants weighing 1,500 grams or less, AAP recommends one dose of 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams.

Does vitamin K footage have side effects on babies?

Vitamin K shot is not a vaccine, but as with other shots, there may be temporary pain, bruise or swelling at the injection site.

Only one case of allergic reaction to vitamin K shooter in newborns has ever been reported, cited by CDC.

The recording is safe, without long-term side effects. Still, According to one studyOpens a new windowUp to 3.2% of parents in hospitals in the United States refuse shot for their babies. Up to 14.5% of parents in the birth in the house and up to 31.0% of parents in birth centers refuse the recording.

As more parents refuse to get a recording for his newborn, the VKDB report number increases.

Why do some parents refuse vitamin K shot for your babies?

One of the reasons Some parents give to refusing to shoot is that they heard that causing leukemia. This requirement is based on one old studioOpens a new window This suggested a connection between the vitamin K administration and childhood cancer, but many studies have since revealed any evidence of such a relationship.

“Scientists conducted more greater studies to see if they could find the same association in other children, but did not find any evidence that supports the connection between Vitamin K and CRA circles,” said CDC.

One studioOpens a new window For example, more than 7,000 children did not find any association between the administration of vitamin K and leukemia or any other cancer.

We have a decade data of security and efficiency on vitamin K injection to make sure that babies are adequately protected. It is dangerous and can be fatal for rejection of vitamin K injections at birth.

– Dr. Chandani Dezure, Pediatrician

Concerns over the joint ventilation of benzyl alcohol, one reason is another reason for avoiding the Vitamin K SHOT. The 1980s were very premiered babies that gave many medicines and liquids that contained benzyl alcohol daily, which – when they were accumulated in very large doses – caused by problems. The amount of petrol alcohol in one vitamin K recording is very minimal and safe for all babies.

Some parents refuse due to “warning on the black box” on the vitamin to the product. The box warning is given on drugs to alert health service providers possible problems if medications are delivered to the wrong patient or in the wrong amounts.

The Vitamin K framework refers to possible serious side effects when certain adults receive high doses of intravenous vitamin K. there is nothing in warning that refers to the baby’s vitamin K shot.

Finally, extremely high dose (25 to 50 milligrams) vitamin K is connected with a joke in newborns, especially in premature babies. It has nothing to do between yellow and vitamin K refers to babies that have been given a normal dose in Vitamin to SHOT (1/2 to 1 milligrams).

“We have decades of data on security and efficiency on vitamin to injection to make sure that babies are adequately protected,” says Dr. Desure. “It is dangerous and can be fatal to refuse vitamin to the injection at birth.”

Member Babycenter All13cat gets a recording for your babies “is certainly recommended as the best standard of worrying both of my midwives. It can prevent some terrible outcomes.”

What is the difference between oral vitamin K and injection?

Oral vitamin K is not consistently absorbed through the stomach and intestine, according to the CDC, so it is much less efficient than shooting.

“While oral vitamin K appears to be effective in preventing classical VKDB,” says AAP, “there are concerns about his ability to prevent VKDB to prevent VKDB.

This is based on the cases of VKDB in the late ditches in countries where oral vitamin K countries, not a recording.

Oral vitamin K is not recommended or approved for US use

What can happen if your baby doesn’t get vitamin K in the hospital?

VKDB is not common in the United States, but the cases seem to increase, says AAP, because more parents reject the shot for their newborn.

According to the CDC, 1 in 60 to 1 in 250 newborns will receive an early or classic VKDB. The late VKDB is less common, which occur 1 in 14,000 to 1 in 25,000 newborns, but are more likely to result in brain bleeds.

Babies that do not receive vitamin K recording video are 81 times more likely to develop a late VKDB of babies that receive a recording.

“This is a really dangerous that will pass,” says the Member of the Community for Babycenter Communiinone. “Babies are not born with the same clotting factors that adults develop, and can develop much easier and harder to stop. I definitely always get vitamin K for my baby.”

When your newborn is, hard looking like a warm welcome. But keep in mind that a baby that gets VKDB can need a lot of blood, transfusion and operation. They can suffer serious consequences, including brain damage or even death.

Based on the advantages of shot and the Risk VKDB, AAP recommended vitamin K newborns since 1961. years.

Talk to your baby’s health provider if you have any reservations regarding your baby. And you can track the growth of your newborn with Babycenter appOpens a new window.