# Life-threatening infant bleeding rates have doubled in a year as parents make dangerous mistake

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/life-threatening-infant-bleeding-rates-have-doubled-in-a-year-as-parents-make-dangerous-mistake/
- Published: 2026-11-06T16:45:56+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T17:54:12+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/06/health/life-threatening-infant-bleeding-rates-have-doubled-in-a-year/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- A study linked missing newborn vitamin K shots to more infant bleeding.
- About 4.5% of 5.2 million babies had no shot documented.
- Researchers say the injection helps prevent potentially fatal bleeding.

## Summary

A US study found that infants without a documented vitamin K injection after birth had a higher risk of bleeding in their first six months, including bleeding in or around the brain. The findings matter because the one-time injection is recommended for newborns and can prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding, a rare but potentially fatal condition.

Researchers examined health records for 5.2 million babies born between 2017 and 2025; about 4.5% had no documented shot. Their bleeding rate was 288 events per 10,000 births, compared with 186 among infants who received it, and their risk of brain bleeding was more than twice as high. The study found that bleeding risk rose over the period for all babies, while researchers said declining uptake may reflect confusion about the treatment or wider distrust of health recommendations.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.