Vitamin K prophylaxis in the Newborn

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Vitamin K prophylaxis in the Newborn: Exploring parents’ understanding using a mixed method approach

• IRAS ID

  370575

• Contact name

  Vrinda Nair

• Contact email

  vrinda.nair1@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  R&D Department, Tees Valley Research Alliance

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Vitamin K is routinely given to all newborn babies to help protect them against bleeding, especially bleeding into the brain. An increasing number of families are choosing to decline vitamin K injections or choose vitamin K drops which can be less effective. This study will explore parents’ understanding of giving Vitamin K injections to newborn babies, and why some parents choose to decline vitamin K even after speaking with their baby’s health professional. Anonymous information will be collected through surveys which will be sent to all parents who are 35 weeks of more, as well as carrying out interviews with any parent who has given birth and chosen vitamin K drops or declined the Vitamin K injection. Interviews will be carried out on Microsoft teams or over the phone. Qualitative data will from the interview and survey will be analysed through thematic analysis.

• REC name

  London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  26/LO/0483

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 Jun 2026

• REC opinion

  Unfavourable Opinion