This isn’t a test as such, more a preventative measure. Vitamin K is needed to help blood clot. Babies have low levels of Vitamin K and some are at risk of developing a rare, but dangerous, condition which can cause internal bleeding. So most babies are given Vitamin K either by injection or by mouth.
It used to be the case that babies were routinely given an injection of vitamin K shortly after birth. Then in the early 1990s, a study was published which showed a possible link between this injection and childhood cancer. Although it was never proved that the injection causes cancer, and very large later studies have shown no link, some hospitals switched to giving vitamin K by mouth instead. Others continue to give the injection.
Shortly after your baby is born, you will be asked for permission for him to be given vitamin K. It’s up to you whether you want him to have it, and how you want him to be given it. It is not an easy choice to make as even experts disagree over how Vitamin K should be given.
Unless you express a preference, the hospital will probably follow its own policy. It is usual to give several doses if given orally, since it is less well absorbed than by injection. If you would like more information before making your decision, talk to your doctor or midwife.
Vitamin K Innovation for Newborns
A new drug has been licensed which could revolutionise the administering of Vitamin K to newborns.
Neokay is the only licensed Vitamin K oral preparation in the UK available in an easy to use gel capsule, providing parents with a new, pain free alternative to Vitamin K injections. Currently most newborns receive an intramuscular vitamin K injection soon after birth to prevent Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), a life-threatening condition that affects an estimated 10-15 babies born in every 100,000. Vitamin K plays an important role in enabling blood to clot, and babies affected by VKDB may spontaneously bruise or bleed in the days and weeks after birth. Babies may also suffer internal bleeding, or brain haemorrhage which can lead to brain damage and death.
The condition can be prevented by administering Vitamin K to newborns, and Neokay means parents can choose not to have their baby injected, and instead opt for them to have the Vitamin given orally using the squeezable capsules. Andrew Brodrick has been developing Neokay for 20 years, “Many parents don’t like the thought of injecting their babies within hours of them being born, and Neokay gives them an alternative to the traditional injection that is safe, effective and easy to use.”
Neokay is a prescription medicine comprising Vitamin K in coconut oil contained in a soft, gel capsule. The preparation is easily administered by snipping off the end of the capsule and squeezing the contents into the baby’s mouth. Breast fed babies will need to receive the capsule contents once a week for the first 3 months (12 weeks). Bottle fed babies are likely
to only require a single 1mg capsule immediately after birth, as formula milk contains additional Vitamin K.
Because it is in capsule form, unlike other Vitamin K preparations, Neokay does not have to be administered by qualified staff and can be easily given by a parent at home. Taking Vitamin K in capsule form also provides financial and environmental advantages; it is cheaper than Vitamin K supplied in a glass ampoule with associated needle and syringe or oral dispenser, and there are not the same issues on disposal. Neokay also has the added benefit of delivering the Vitamin K in a vegetarian friendly medium.
For more information about the options available to them when considering giving Vitamin K to their baby, parents-to-be can ask their midwife or GP. ends Notes: Photo shows a newborn receiving Neokay. Vitamin K has previously only been available as a licensed medicine for oral administration to newborns in a glass ampoule requiring specially trained staff to administer using an oral dispenser.
NOTE: Vitamin K has previously only been available as a licensed medicine for oral administration to newborns in a glass ampoule requiring specially trained staff to administer using an oral dispenser.
