title: [Vitamin K deficiency in the newborn].
abstract: Newborns have low levels of the vitamin K dependent clotting factors. Early studies were suggestive of vitamin K deficiency. Recently these findings were questioned by studies that failed to detect signs of vitamin K deficiency in the clotting system of newborns using more specific methods, while other studies did find signs of vitamin K deficiency using the same methods. The question was finally solved by direct measurement of vitamin K showing very low levels of the vitamin in the serum of newborns immediately after birth. Whether vitamin K supplementation to the mother reduces the incidence of vitamin K induced changes in the clotting system of newborns remains to be elucidated. In the meantime it seems prudent to administer parenteral vitamin K prophylactically to all newborns immediately after birth.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014813:Vitamin K Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D014812:Vitamin K; D011516:Prothrombin
vernacular_title: Vitamin-K-Mangel bei Neugeborenen.