Two studies find U.S. infant bleeding rates rose alongside vitamin K refusals
Two studies found that rates of life-threatening bleeding among U.S. infants rose sharply since 2017 as parents increasingly refused newborn vitamin K shots, Reuters reported Thursday. The research does not establish that refusals caused the increase. Tippinsights reported that infants who missed the injection had a 47 percent higher risk of bleeding events during their first six months.
More context
Two studies published Thursday found that rates of life-threatening bleeding in U.S. infants have risen sharply since 2017 as more parents declined newborn vitamin K shots, Reuters reported. The studies are the first to document rising bleeding rates alongside increasing refusals, but they do not establish that refusals caused the increase. The research was published in JAMA Pediatrics, The Washington Post reported, and the paper said cases surged last year. According to Tippinsights, missing the shot was associated with a 47 percent increase in infants’ risk of bleeding during the first six months. The Post said scientists noted growing public-health skepticism, fueled partly in recent years by Donald Trump’s administration, while stressing that the research did not identify a cause. HuffPost reported refusals accelerated under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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Reporting
- The Washington Post — Infant bleeding surged last year as parents refuse vitamin K shot for newborns - The Washington Post
- Devdiscourse — Reuters Health News Summary | International
- HuffPost — U.S. Infant Bleeding Episodes Jump As Vitamin K Refusals Rise, Two Studies Find
- tippinsights.com — US Infant Bleeding Cases Rise As Vitamin K Refusals Increase
Verifier’s note
Tippin Insights, Reuters (carried by Devdiscourse), and The Washington Post report increased infant bleeding alongside rising vitamin K shot refusals; HuffPost carries the Reuters report as well. The Washington Post independently reports the new research released today, consistent with the proposed event.