Clinicians report rising refusals of routine newborn protections, leaving infants vulnerable to preventable bleeding and infections. What is pushing parents to decline decades old safeguards.
In an Idaho state hospital, in one day about half of the newborns examined by Dr. Tom Patterson did not receive a vitamin K injection, the shot that for decades has been used to prevent potentially deadly bleeding in infants. On another day, the share of refusers exceeded a quarter – parents did not permit the injection.
“When you see a child who is innocent and vulnerable – and the simple procedure that has been performed since 1961 is refused – the realization that this child is entering the world,” said Dr. Patterson, a pediatrician with almost thirty years of experience.
Doctors across the country warn that doubt stirred by growing anti-science sentiment and distrust of medicine is increasingly touching not only vaccines but also other proven, routine preventive measures for infants.
A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzing more than 5 million births in the United States, showed that refusals of vitamin K nearly doubled between 2017 and 2024 – from 2.9% to 5.2%. Other studies indicate that parents who refuse vitamin K are much more likely to also refuse hepatitis B vaccination and the eye ointment to prevent possible infections that could lead to blindness. The rate of administering this vaccine at birth has declined in recent years, and doctors confirm that more and more parents are declining the eye ointment.
“I truly believe that these families care deeply about their babies,”
– Dr. Kristan Scott, a neonatologist from Philadelphia
“But I hear from families that it is hard to make decisions right now because of conflicting information.”
– Dr. Kristan Scott, a neonatologist from Philadelphia
A flurry of posts on social media questions doctors’ guidance on safe and effective measures, notably vitamin K and the eye ointment. Public discussion about the role of science in medical decision-making continues, and some government decisions in the United States are raising concerns among the medical community.
“Nature allows 1 in 5 human infants to die in the first year of life,” said Dr. David Hill, a pediatrician from Seattle and researcher, “that is why a generation of scientists and physicians is working to reduce this risk.”
Vitamin K and Other Preventive Measures
Newborns tend to have low levels of vitamin K, which means their intestines do not yet produce enough of this compound until they transition to solid foods at about six months.
“Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and preventing dangerous bleeding in infants, including intracranial hemorrhage,” said Dr. Kristan Scott of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the lead author of the JAMA study.
Before injections became standard practice, about 1 in 60 infants suffered from bleeding due to vitamin K deficiency. Now this is a rare condition, but studies indicate that infants who do not receive the injection are 81 times more likely to develop a severe bleed than those who received vitamin K.
Other important measures for newborns, such as erythromycin eye ointment and vaccination against hepatitis B, prevent infections and complications, but parental refusals can raise risks for the child. Even with comprehensive prenatal testing, the risk of infection transmission does not disappear.
Parents cite various reasons for refusals: fear of pain, a desire for a more natural approach to birth, and the influence of friends, celebrities, and politics. Doctors emphasize the importance of respect and open conversation while safeguarding infants’ health.
“I always end conversations with parents by saying: ‘Please understand: at the end of the day I care about the best interests of children in my heart and mind. I understand this topic is heated, and I don’t want to offend anyone. But I am very sad that we are losing infants for no reason,’” concluded Dr. Patterson.
