Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn | Overview
Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn | Symptoms & Causes
In-Depth
Who is affected by hemorrhagic disease?
Vitamin K deficiency results in bleeding in less than 2 percent of all babies. Babies at risk for developing hemorrhagic disease are:
- babies who don't receive preventive vitamin K in an injection at birth
- exclusively breastfed babies (breast milk contains less vitamin K than cow's milk formula)
- babies whose mothers have seizure disorders and take anti-convulsant medications
Why is hemorrhagic disease of the newborn a concern?
Without the clotting factor, bleeding occurs, and severe bleeding or hemorrhage can result.
Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn | Testing & Diagnosis
Tests
What are the symptoms of hemorrhagic disease?
Symptoms may include:
- blood in your baby's bowel movements
- blood in urine
- oozing around the umbilical cord
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, a diagnosis is based on the signs of bleeding and by laboratory tests for blood clotting times.