Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Vitamin K

While anyone using blood thinners is all too aware of vitamin K and its influence on blood clotting, the general population is a little less informed.


Recent tragedies at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University in Nashville have brought vitamin K and its use for newborns, into the spotlight.


There's no question that newborns simply don't have the intestinal flora to make vitamin K within their own bodies.  At issue is whether the vitamin K shots given routinely after delivery are more dangerous than the bleeding newborns can experience without the ability to clot.


This is a particularly good article weighing the benefits and dangers of vitamin K shots.  Its long, but if you're a new parent or expecting, its well worth your time to read to understand the issues.








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