All articles tagged with #newborn health
Refusals of the newborn vitamin K shot jumped 57% from 5.2% in December 2025 to 8.1% in June 2026, putting newborns at greater risk for VKBD—a condition that can cause brain bleeds, seizures, cognitive impairment, or death; experts emphasize that the vitamin K shot is a safe, life-saving preventive measure.
Two Democratic lawmakers urged the CDC to monitor how often parents refuse the newborn vitamin K shot and the resulting vitamin K deficiency bleeding and deaths, citing ProPublica’s finding that federal and state data on refusals and outcomes do not exist. They argue data are needed to gauge the scope and guide public health messaging, noting that babies who miss the shot are 81 times more likely to develop late deficiency bleeding and that 1 in 5 such cases can be fatal. Refusal rates rose to over 5% in 2024, with some hospitals reporting doubling refusals, prompting calls for action from HHS and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship case could affect more than citizenship: experts warn that striking down automatic birthright status may delay newborns’ access to safety-net programs and essential tests done in the first days of life, such as jaundice screening, pulse oximetry for heart defects, and newborn metabolic/hearing screens. Hospitals would need to verify citizenship and obtain Social Security numbers, potentially slowing Medicaid/CHIP enrollment and routine pediatric care. Public-health advocates stress that even short administrative delays can jeopardize infants’ health, underscoring the broader health stakes of the case beyond legal status. The piece notes roughly 320,000 births in 2023 and cites advocates like Bruce Lesley of First Focus on Children and pediatrician Dr. Kim Avila on the importance of timely newborn care.
ProPublica reports that Dr. Joseph Mercola has reversed his longtime opposition to newborn vitamin K shots, saying the data show the shot saves lives and advising parents to discuss prophylaxis with their pediatrician. The piece notes rising uptake decline, widespread online misinformation, and broader trust issues in health care, while authorities continue to recommend the shot as safe and effective.
A growing share of U.S. parents are declining the vitamin K shot for newborns, with refusals rising from about 2.9% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2024. Doctors warn this increases the risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding, including brain bleeds, and note declines in other preventive measures like hepatitis B vaccination and eye ointment. Attitudes are fueled by anti-science sentiment and misinformation on social media, and some cases have prompted fatalities. Experts advocate patient, respectful education to counter misconceptions and protect infant health.
Global progress in reducing deaths of pregnant women, mothers and babies has flatlined for eight years due to decreasing investments in maternal and newborn health, according to a new report from the United Nations (UN). The COVID-19 pandemic, rising poverty, and worsening humanitarian crises have intensified pressures on stretched health systems. Funding shortfalls and underinvestment in primary healthcare can devastate survival prospects. To increase survival rates, women and babies must have quality, affordable healthcare before, during and after childbirth, the agencies say, as well as access to family planning services.