Lawmakers Urge CDC to Track Newborn Vitamin K Refusals as U.S. Rate Tops 5%
Updated
Updated · ProPublica · Jul 10
Lawmakers Urge CDC to Track Newborn Vitamin K Refusals as U.S. Rate Tops 5%
2 articles · Updated · ProPublica · Jul 10
Summary
Two Democratic lawmakers asked the CDC to start tracking newborn vitamin K shot refusals, deficiency bleeding and related deaths, calling the rise in preventable harm a public health crisis.
Their letter followed a ProPublica investigation that found babies had died after families declined the routine birth injection and that no federal or state agency tracks refusal rates or resulting bleeding.
Research cited in the report shows babies who miss the shot are 81 times more likely to develop late vitamin K deficiency bleeding, and the CDC says 1 in 5 infants with that condition die.
A national study of more than 5 million births found refusal rates topped 5% in 2024, while some hospitals told ProPublica their rates have more than doubled in recent years.
The American Academy of Pediatrics backed the push and said CDC data and stronger public messaging from HHS leaders are needed as mistrust and online misinformation drive more parents to refuse the shot.
As distrust in medicine grows, what will it take to convince parents of a shot's value?
When does a parent's right to choose become medical neglect for their newborn?
Urgent Action on Vitamin K: U.S. Lawmakers Call for CDC Data as Parental Refusals Put Newborns at Risk
Overview
U.S. lawmakers have urgently called on the CDC to track newborn vitamin K shot refusal rates, highlighting a growing concern among health officials as more parents opt out of this crucial protection. This alarming rise in refusals is linked to preventable cases of vitamin K deficiency bleeding and infant deaths. The trend is fueled by misinformation, including vaccine confusion spread by public figures, which causes parents to decline not only the vitamin K shot but also other routine care. As a result, more babies are at risk of life-threatening hemorrhage, underscoring the need for better data and public health action.