Content
In most countries of the world, vitamin K is administered to newborns in the maternity hospital as a prophylaxis for various complications. Many parents consider the injection to be a vaccine, which leads to the abandonment of an important procedure. Vitamin K injections for a newborn can prevent hemorrhagic disease. The prevalence of a rare pathology does not exceed 0.5%. However, its complications are sometimes fatal.
Vitamin K injection prevents serious complications in newborns
Why do newborns need vitamin K
A group of fat-soluble substances chemically formed from naphthoquinone is called vitamin K. In the human body, for example, a newborn, the component is involved in the following processes:
- vascular biology;
- bone metabolism.
Vitamin K is a food component that is valuable due to its participation in the blood coagulation system. Usually, the daily nutritional requirements are compensated by the consumption of food. The element deficiency is eliminated through the synthesis of vitamin K in the body.
It should be borne in mind that during the neonatal period, the concentration of the active substance in the child's body is reduced. After birth, there is insufficient production of the component, which is due to physiological immaturity. To prevent hypovitaminosis, special preparations containing vitamin K are administered in the maternity hospital.
It is known that green leafy vegetables are considered a source of useful nutrients. In the required quantities, the component begins to be produced several months after birth and stay in the hospital.
Experts note that vitamin K deficiency is observed in most newborns. This is due to its small amount in breast milk. It is also quite difficult to obtain the required concentration of the active substance through nutrition.
Experts identify the following reasons for a substance deficiency in newborns:
- insufficient entry through the placenta;
- low content in breast milk;
- immature synthesis observed in the intestine.
Why is vitamin K deficiency in newborns dangerous?
The importance of the presence of a nutrient in the body of a newborn baby is undeniable. In the maternity hospital, the blood coagulation system is sometimes faced with a lack of vitamin K, which leads to disruption of its functioning.
Serious complications of hypovitaminosis include the appearance of hemorrhagic disease in newborns, which can develop in the hospital. Pathology is characterized by the occurrence of internal bleeding. A severe course can provoke a cerebral hemorrhage in a child in a maternity hospital.
Hemorrhagic disease in newborns often occurs in the following cases:
- Delivery by cesarean section. Children in the hospital have sterile intestinal microflora, and the production of the necessary vitamin K is not carried out in the required quantities.
- Low weight of newborns. This factor also includes prematurity.
- Application of obstetric forceps.This method of delivery is often accompanied by an increased risk of injury.
- Pathologies related to the hematobiliary system. There is an increase in the risk of complications with the introduction of the hepatitis B vaccine due to the increased load on the liver.
- Taking certain medications during pregnancy. In the first trimester, the use of antibiotics, anticoagulants and anticonvulsants is not recommended.
- Prolonged labor. The duration of the stage of fetal expulsion is essential.
The danger of hemorrhagic disease is latent progression. Bleeding usually occurs spontaneously and is not accompanied by specific symptoms. Rupture of blood in newborns can be:
- external (umbilical wound);
- internal (brain).
It is not immediately possible to identify bleeding of an internal nature. This leads to the occurrence of irreversible changes.
Bleeding in newborns is conventionally divided into 2 large groups:
- Early (common). They occur in the first week of life, more often in the hospital. Intestinal bleeding is common. In some cases, there is an outpouring of blood from the umbilical wound. In most cases, pathology does not pose a threat to the life and health of the child.
- Late (rare). Usually occurs in newborns at 2-12 weeks. The phenomenon is often associated with breastfeeding and is of an intracranial nature. The consequences include the development of neurological disorders. Symptoms include lethargy, anxiety, and poor appetite.
Vitamin K administration to newborns
In the maternity hospital, the newborn is injected with vitamin K. Injection is the optimal way to deliver the nutrient to the child's body. The procedure can reduce the risk of developing serious complications in newborns.
The injection is performed in the area of the front surface of the left or right thigh. Injections are carried out for several weeks, and also until the moment of independent production of vitamin K by the child's body.
Oral administration of the active substance is possible. However, this method is not recommended due to insufficient efficiency.
The following disadvantages of using the oral form of vitamin K administration into the child's body, including in the maternity hospital, are noted:
- the need for three times application;
- spitting out the drug;
- insufficient efficiency.
The introduction of vitamin K to newborns by injection is carried out according to the following scheme:
- 1 injection - within a few hours after birth (in the hospital);
- 2 injection - after 7 days;
- 3 injection - one month after the birth of the child.
Injection, including in the maternity hospital, is carried out using analogues of the active ingredient - the drugs Canavit and Vikasol.
Contraindications and side effects
Oral administration of vitamin K is not recommended for use in case of prematurity or the detection of congenital diseases in newborns. Adverse reactions when using vitamin K are extremely rare.They are usually due to the presence of preservatives in medications that are approved for medical use.
The following side effects in newborns are distinguished when using injectable forms:
- short-term pain;
- burning;
- redness;
- bronchospasm;
- hemolytic anemia;
- fast heart rate.
In the presence of individual characteristics, allergic reactions may occur, which are rare in the hospital. In the area of injection, the development of an infectious process, nerve damage in newborns is sometimes observed.
Conclusion
Injecting vitamin K in a maternity hospital for newborns is recommended by most experts in the world. This is due to the risk of bleeding in children, which can lead to irreversible complications.
