Vitamin K injection at birth is essential

Cost: 0 to several dozen yuan. This cost is usually already included in the overall hospital delivery fee, so no extra payment is required.
In plain terms: Newborns naturally have very little vitamin K stored in their bodies. Without supplementation, it can lead to vitamin K deficiency bleeding; the delayed form often manifests as bleeding inside the brain. In regions where this injection isn’t routinely given, the incidence of such bleeding is about 478 cases per 100,000 newborns. Administering the injection is estimated to reduce this rate by over 78%. In China, all reputable hospitals routinely provide this injection during delivery. For home births or births at unregulated facilities, parents should proactively ask whether it was given.
Benefit: Newborns possess minimal vitamin K reserves. Failure to supplement may result in vitamin K deficiency bleeding, with the delayed type frequently presenting as intracranial hemorrhage. Belgian medical guidelines recommend a single intramuscular injection of 1–2 mg of vitamin K at birth. In areas lacking systematic prevention programs, the incidence of vitamin K deficiency bleeding is 478 cases per 100,000 newborns, based on data from 42,000 infants in Tashkent. The authors estimate that such preventive measures can lower the incidence by more than 78.5%.
Evidence grade: B
Sources:Fiesack S, Smits A, Rayyan M, et al. (2021). Nutrients, 13(11), 4109. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13114109；Tursunov D, Yoshida Y, Yrysov K, et al. (2018). Nagoya Journal of Medical Science, 80(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.18999/nagjms.80.1.11
Notes: In reputable Chinese hospitals, this injection is administered routinely, so parents need not worry about it. However, for home births or births at unlicensed facilities, it’s crucial to confirm whether the injection was given. Oral administration is less effective than intramuscular injection.