U.S. Infant Vitamin K Shot Refusals Rise to 5 Percent in 2024

The rate of infants not receiving the vitamin K shot at birth reached 5 percent in 2024, according to national data from a study of more than 5 million births published in the journal JAMA. This figure represents a 77 percent increase since 2017. In some hospital systems, such as St.

Luke’s Health System in Idaho, refusal rates have more than doubled since the start of the pandemic, with one facility reporting that 20 percent of families opted out. Medical records and autopsy reports reviewed by ProPublica show a recent string of infant deaths across Maryland, Alabama, Texas and Kentucky.

Pathologists attributed these deaths to vitamin K deficiency bleeding, a condition in which the blood cannot clot, causing internal hemorrhaging. The bleeding can occur up to six months after birth and often affects the brain or intestines. Newborns are born with very little vitamin K because the nutrient does not pass easily through the placenta, and breast milk contains only trace amounts.

Without the injection, infants face risk of late vitamin K deficiency bleeding. One in five babies who develop the condition will die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Refusal rates have increased notably in certain areas since the pandemic began. The national study covering more than 5 million births documented the rise to 5 percent in 2024, up 77 percent from 2017.

The vitamin K shot has been the global standard of care since 1961 and has nearly eliminated the condition in developed countries. Infants who do not receive the shot are 81 times more likely to develop late-onset bleeding than those who do. The injection prevents spontaneous brain bleeds that can lead to permanent developmental delays, paralysis or death.

Decades of research have refuted claims of links to childhood leukemia or other long-term illnesses. The shot does carry minor risks including brief pain, redness or bruising at the injection site. Some parents cite concern over benzyl alcohol used as a preservative, though pediatricians state the levels are safe for newborns.

Some families choose delayed cord clamping or oral vitamin K supplements, but research shows these methods do not provide equivalent protection to the intramuscular injection. A pediatric hematologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta said the lack of a federal tracking system for these cases makes it difficult to show parents the true scope of the danger.

The hematologist added that the condition should be made a reportable health event. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said that vitamin K at birth remains the standard of care. The spokesperson noted recent political debates regarding the autonomy of parents in medical decision-making.