2 publishers · first seen Tue, 10 Nov 2026 15:22 UTC · updated Wed, 11 Nov 2026 00:00 UTC
Two studies found that life-threatening bleeding in US infants has increased as more parents refuse the vitamin K shot, which is given at birth to prevent bleeding. The studies, published in JAMA and JAMA Pediatrics, found that the percentage of newborns receiving the shot fell from 97.7% in 2017 to 95% in 2025, while the rate of vitamin K deficiency bleeding nearly quadrupled. The studies also found that infants who did not receive the shot had a 47% higher risk of bleeding during their first six months of life. The trend of parents declining the shot has risen steadily over 10 years, especially since the 2020 pandemic, but accelerated after the confirmation of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic.
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