Newborns are at risk for early vitamin K deficiency bleeding and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all newborns receive:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends IM vitamin K (phytonadione) within 24 hours of birth as the best choice to prevent early vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns. This is because newborns have low levels of vitamin K at birth and the intestinal bacteria responsible for synthesizing vitamin K are not fully developed. IM vitamin K bypasses this problem and ensures adequate levels of vitamin K to prevent bleeding.

Newborns Are at Risk for Early Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding