Why do newborns need vitamin K? Babies are born with very little vitamin K, a nutrient their bodies need to help blood clot properly. This puts newborns at risk for vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that can cause internal bleeding, including bleeding in the brain or intestines.
Pediatrician Lena van der List of UC Davis Children’s Hospital explains why newborns are particularly vulnerable to vitamin K deficiency bleeding and why there may be no warning signs before a serious emergency. Learn more about the importance of the vitamin K shot for newborns in the full episode of Little Lessons.
Video description: Animation of vitamins flowing through a bloodstream. Images of a newborn baby and an older baby eating solid food. Dr. van der List speaks directly to camera in front of a light blue background. At the end, there is an image of a baby in intensive care.
#VitaminK #NewbornCare #BabyHealth #Pediatrics #UCDavisHealth
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