Inj VIT k dosage for new born baby
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CDC vitamin K newborn dosage 1 mg 0.5 mg intramuscular
Vitamin K injection (phytonadione) prophylaxis in a newborn:
- Birth weight >1.5 kg: 1 mg IM once, preferably within 6 hours of birth
- Birth weight ≤1.5 kg or preterm: 0.5 mg IM once
Give it by intramuscular injection, usually in the anterolateral thigh. It prevents vitamin K deficiency bleeding, including dangerous intracranial bleeding.
The AAP recommendation is 1 mg IM for infants >1500 g and 0.5 mg IM for smaller/preterm infants. Do not substitute an oral regimen unless a pediatric/neonatal protocol specifically directs it. AAP guidance
Textbook reference: Textbook of Family Medicine 9e, routine care at delivery, lines 1752-1757.
Find the latest newborn vitamin K guidelines
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newborn vitamin K prophylaxis guideline 2025 2026 intramuscular dosage AAP CDC WHO
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newborn vitamin K prophylaxis national guideline 2025 dosage preterm 1500 g intramuscular
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"Vitamin K" AND "Infant, Newborn"
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https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/149/3/e20210…
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https://publications.aap.org/book/chapter-pdf/1527478/aap_97…
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PMID: 41313362
Latest newborn vitamin K guidance located
Current standard recommendation in the United States
The latest AAP policy statement located remains “Vitamin K and the Newborn Infant” (2022). Its core recommendation is:
| Newborn group | Vitamin K1 (phytonadione) prophylaxis |
|---|---|
| Birth weight >1,500 g | 1 mg IM once |
| Birth weight ≤1,500 g | 0.5 mg IM once |
| Timing | At birth, preferably soon after delivery. It may be delayed for skin-to-skin contact, but should be given within 6 hours of birth. |
Give it as a single intramuscular injection, typically in the anterolateral thigh. The AAP policy statement recommends this for all newborns. The current CDC guidance continues to advise one IM dose at birth, with delay up to 6 hours acceptable for bonding.
Key points
- IM vitamin K is the preferred regimen because it reliably prevents early, classic, and late vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB).
- VKDB can occur up to 6 months of age and may cause occult gastrointestinal or intracranial bleeding.
- Oral vitamin K is not equivalent to IM prophylaxis. It is only a second-line option if parents decline IM administration, and requires a country-specific multi-dose regimen with reliable follow-up.
- For preterm, very-low-birth-weight, cholestatic, malabsorptive, or maternal enzyme-inducing drug-exposed infants, use the local NICU/neonatology protocol. Recommendations beyond the standard birth dose vary internationally.
Recent evidence update
A 2025 systematic review of 14 clinical guidelines found that most recommend weight-based IM vitamin K, but protocols for special neonatal populations differ substantially in route, dose, timing, and repeat dosing: Liu et al. (2025), European Journal of Pediatrics PMID: 41313362.
The underlying reason for routine prophylaxis is that newborns have low vitamin K stores, low transfer across the placenta, limited gut flora, and relatively low vitamin K in breast milk. Textbook of Family Medicine 9e, routine care at delivery, recommends 0.5 to 1 mg IM at birth.
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