In newborn babies, a vitamin K deficiency can arise due to inadequate vitamin K storage or a vitamin K deficiency in the mother’s breast milk.[1][2][3][4] This can lead to a type of hemorrhage called vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
Vitamin K deficiency is not common in adults. Still, it can occur due to inadequate dietary intake or the use of drugs known to interfere with the absorption, metabolism, and synthesis of vitamin K (e.g., anticoagulants and drugs that affect the intestinal absorption of dietary fat).[5] It is also possible that antibiotics can inhibit the growth of vitamin-K-producing bacteria in the intestine and increase the risk of vitamin K deficiency.[5]
Vitamin K deficiency can also occur in people with hepatobiliary dysfunction or inflammatory bowel disease due to the impaired absorption and metabolism of vitamin K.
In women, severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (known as hyperemesis gravidarum) and malnutrition during pregnancy can also cause vitamin K deficiency and lead to hemorrhage.[5][6][7]
References
- ^Hurley DL, Binkley N, Camacho PM, Diab DL, Kennel KA, Malabanan A, Tangpricha VTHE USE OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS IN SKELETAL HEALTH: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY POSITION STATEMENT.Endocr Pract.(2018 Oct 2)
- ^Ng E, Loewy ADPosition Statement: Guidelines for vitamin K prophylaxis in newborns: A joint statement of the Canadian Paediatric Society and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.Can Fam Physician.(2018 Oct)
- ^Mihatsch WA, Braegger C, Bronsky J, Campoy C, Domellöf M, Fewtrell M, Mis NF, Hojsak I, Hulst J, Indrio F, Lapillonne A, Mlgaard C, Embleton N, van Goudoever J, ESPGHAN Committee on NutritionPrevention of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding in Newborn Infants: A Position Paper by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition.J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.(2016 Jul)
- ^Ardell S, Offringa M, Ovelman C, Soll RProphylactic vitamin K for the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in preterm neonates.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2018 Feb 5)
- ^Mladěnka P, Macáková K, Kujovská Krčmová L, Javorská L, Mrštná K, Carazo A, Protti M, Remião F, Nováková L, OEMONOM researchers and collaboratorsVitamin K - sources, physiological role, kinetics, deficiency, detection, therapeutic use, and toxicity.Nutr Rev.(2022 Mar 10)
- ^Nijsten K, van der Minnen L, Wiegers HMG, Koot MH, Middeldorp S, Roseboom TJ, Grooten IJ, Painter RCHyperemesis gravidarum and vitamin K deficiency: a systematic review.Br J Nutr.(2022 Jul 14)
- ^Marlena S Fejzo, Jone Trovik, Iris J Grooten, Kannan Sridharan, Tessa J Roseboom, Åse Vikanes, Rebecca C Painter, Patrick M MullinNausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarumNat Rev Dis Primers.(2019 Sep 12)