Neonatal vitamin K and jaundice

On Monday, January 17, I posted regarding newborn shots, jaundice and SIDS. Within that post, I talked a little about the vitamin K shot, but today I wanted to elaborate more on the possible relationship between the shot and neonatal jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia). In addition, an earlier post I made today provided information regarding the possible link between neonatal jaundice and the risk for developing autism.

When someone is jaundiced, there is too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a neurotoxin. It can cause developmental delay, brain damage, cerebral palsy and sometmies death.

Let's look at the vitamin K injection given at birth. This injection is given to prevent "Vitamin K Deficient Bleeding" in newborns. Since vitamin K is a coagulant, the danger of VKDB is unstoppable bleeding, that sometimes is not immediately obvious. If someone is vitamin K deficient, their blood will not clot. According to Stanford School of Medicine, an infant is at risk of VKDB from the first 24 hours through six months of life. Also according to Stanford, breast milk is very low in vitamin K. However, infant formula is fortified with vitamin K, and contains more than enough.

Below is information taken from the Daily Med section of the National Institute of Health website regarding the vitamin K injection manufactured by Hospira pharmaceuticals. The information provided by Hospira about their own product states that it has been known to be associated with toxicity in newborns. It is also documented that jaundice, or hyperbilirubinemia, may be related to the K1 injection.

Warnings

Benzyl alcohol as a preservative in Bacteriostatic Sodium Chloride Injection has been associated with toxicity in newborns. Data are unavailable on the toxicity of other preservatives in this age group. There is no evidence to suggest that the small amount of benzyl alcohol contained in Vitamin K1 Injection (Phytonadione Injectable Emulsion, USP), when used as recommended, is associated with toxicity.

Pediatric Use

Hemolysis, jaundice, and hyperbilirubinemia in neonates, particularly those that are premature, may be related to the dose of Vitamin K1 Injection. Therefore, the recommended dose should not be exceeded (see ADVERSE REACTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).

So the following are true statements:

* VKBD only occurs somewhere in the range of between 1 and 7 of every 100,000 neonates
* Breast milk contains little vitamin K
* Infant formula is fortified with vitamin K
* Every newborn is recommended to have K1 injection regardless of the feeding plans of the    mother
* Neonatal K1 injection has been linked to jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia)
* Bilirubin is a neurotoxin
* A link between neonatal jaundice and autism is currently being investigated
* There is aluminum in this shot being injected into your child

So, it would be logical to think that if you are planning in advance to feed your newborn formula, then you could skip the K1 injection. If you are expecting a child, has your healthcare provider talked to you about this to help you make a plan? If you've already had children, can you remember if anyone gave you this information? My guess is probably not.

When you are expecting a child, the best thing you can do regarding the K1 shot and childhood vaccines is ask questions. Ask lots of questions. Oh, and do some research too. No one in the healthcare industry is going to tell you anything negative regarding vaccines or any other newborn shot. You have to find the answers yourself. Get educated, speak up and have a say in what gets injected into your little one. Things are never as simple as they seem. Good Luck.

Please also see my previous post from earlier today regarding jaundice and autism.