Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn Symptoms & Causes
In-Depth
Who is affected by hemorrhagic disease?
Vitamin K deficiency results in bleeding in less than 2 percent of all babies. Babies at risk for developing hemorrhagic disease are:
- babies who don't receive preventive vitamin K in an injection at birth
- exclusively breastfed babies (breast milk contains less vitamin K than cow's milk formula)
- babies whose mothers have seizure disorders and take anti-convulsant medications
Why is hemorrhagic disease of the newborn a concern?
Without the clotting factor, bleeding occurs, and severe bleeding or hemorrhage can result.