More Parents Refuse Key Vitamin K Shot for Newborns

Doctors blame misinformation and anti-vaccine rhetoric for rising refusal rates of the shot, which prevents dangerous bleeding in infants.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 4:47pm

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Pediatric providers report that newborns in the United States are increasingly leaving the hospital without a long-standard vitamin K shot that prevents dangerous bleeding. The injection delivers vitamin K, which infants lack at birth, and a single dose given shortly after birth has been routine for over six decades. Yet the share of newborns not receiving the shot has risen from under 3% in 2017 to more than 5% in 2024, with doctors citing broader anti-vaccine and anti-medical-intervention sentiment as the likely cause.

Why it matters

The vitamin K shot is highly effective at almost eliminating the risk of a bleeding disorder that can cause anything from mild umbilical-cord oozing to fatal gastrointestinal or brain hemorrhages in newborns. Estimates suggest that 0.25% to 1.7% of untreated infants bleed from a lack of vitamin K in the first week of life, with mortality around 20% for severe cases and many survivors left with permanent disabilities.

The details

Doctors say the increase in refusals appears tied to rhetoric from political leaders, including President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has amplified skepticism. Many hesitant parents describe the injection as "unnatural" or not needed, or they request an oral version, which in the US isn't FDA-approved for infants and requires multiple doses over weeks. Others raise concerns about benzyl alcohol, a preservative in the shot, though studies haven't found harm from the small amount used.

  • The share of newborns not receiving the vitamin K shot has risen from under 3% in 2017 to more than 5% in 2024.
  • The vitamin K shot has been routine in US hospitals for more than six decades.

The players

American Academy of Pediatrics

The organization that recommends the vitamin K shot for all newborns.

Dr. Timmy Ho

A Boston neonatologist who recently treated his first case of vitamin K-preventable bleeding in the brain.

President Trump

A political leader whose rhetoric has amplified skepticism about the vitamin K shot.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health Secretary whose rhetoric has amplified skepticism about the vitamin K shot.

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What they’re saying

“By not doing something, you are doing something wrong to your child.”

— Dr. Timmy Ho, Boston neonatologist (NBC News)

What’s next

Clinicians are trying to explain to hesitant parents that bleeding from vitamin K deficiency, while relatively rare, can be catastrophic and unpredictable.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing influence of anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation, even for non-vaccine medical interventions like the routine vitamin K shot for newborns. It underscores the need for better public education and countering of false claims to ensure parents make informed decisions about their children's health.