Infant vitamin K shot refusals rise
The gist
6.8% of U.S. infants skipped the vitamin K shot in 2025, more than double 2017's 3.1%.
New studies link the rise to more infant bleeding, though causation is not proven.
How it unfolded
- 20173.1% of U.S. infants did not receive the vitamin K shot, the baseline for later comparisons.
- 2024More than 5% of U.S. infants had not received the shot, a 77% increase since 2017, per a JAMA study led by Dr. Kristan Scott of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
- 20256.8% of infants did not get the injection, more than double the 2017 rate, and bleeding events were roughly double those recorded in 2024.
Key terms
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- The largest professional association of pediatricians in the United States, which publishes policy statements and practice recommendations.
- CDC
- The national public health agency of the United States.
Source: Wikipedia