Repeated oral vitamin K prophylaxis in West Germany: acceptance and efficacy

Owing to concern that neonatal vitamin K prophylaxis might cause childhood cancer,1 parenteral vitamin K prophylaxis for all newborn infants has been abandoned in the United Kingdom2 and Germany.3 In its place three oral doses of vitamin K (0.5 mg in the United Kingdom, 1 mg in Germany) are now recommended for healthy neonates (at birth and during days 4-10 and weeks 4-6). We investigated whether these recommendations are being followed and whether three oral doses of vitamin K are as effective as parenteral vitamin K for preventing late haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. We drew a random sample of 100 obstetric units from all 995 such units in West Germany. In August 1993 we sent questionnaires to the consultants in charge of these 100 units asking about their use of vitamin K prophylaxis. Surveillance for late haemorrhagic disease was carried out by …