Why is vitamin K administered at birth?

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Multiple Choice

Why is vitamin K administered at birth?

Vitamin K is essential for activating several clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X) and proteins C and S, which are needed for proper blood coagulation. Newborns have very low vitamin K stores and there is little or no vitamin K being produced by gut bacteria immediately after birth, since the gut is not yet colonized. Placental transfer of vitamin K is limited, and breast milk contains relatively low amounts of vitamin K. Without supplementation, this puts the infant at risk for vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which can be serious. Administering vitamin K at birth provides the necessary cofactor for clotting factor production right away, preventing hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. The other options don’t address the coagulation deficiency or the neonatal risk of bleeding.

Vitamin K is essential for activating several clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X) and proteins C and S, which are needed for proper blood coagulation. Newborns have very low vitamin K stores and there is little or no vitamin K being produced by gut bacteria immediately after birth, since the gut is not yet colonized. Placental transfer of vitamin K is limited, and breast milk contains relatively low amounts of vitamin K. Without supplementation, this puts the infant at risk for vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which can be serious. Administering vitamin K at birth provides the necessary cofactor for clotting factor production right away, preventing hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. The other options don’t address the coagulation deficiency or the neonatal risk of bleeding.

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