There is no denying the fact that Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn is a rare bleeding problem that can occur after birth. Haemorrhaging is excessive bleeding. It’s a potentially life-threatening condition which is caused by vitamin K deficiency. As a result, it’s often called vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
Vitamin K plays a key role in blood clotting. Because vitamin K is not efficiently passed on from mother to baby in the uterus, most babies are born with low stores of this vitamin in their system. Vitamin K is known as the “blood-clotting vitamin” for its important role in healing wounds.
• K 1: Phylloquinone is predominantly found in green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, and dairy products. Vitamin K given to neonates as a prophylactic agent is an aqueous, colloidal solution of vitamin K1.
• K 2: Menaquinone is synthesised by gut flora.
• K 3: Menadione is a synthetic, water-soluble form that is no longer used medically because of its ability to produce haemolytic anaemia.
Vitamin K is an essential cofactor for γ-glutamyl carboxylase enzymatic activity that catalyses the γ-carboxylation of specific glutamic acid residues in a subclass of proteins. These vitamin K–K-dependent proteins are known as Gla-proteins. The image below outlines the vitamin K cycle.
Sources
Bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract naturally make vitamin K. Dietary sources of vitamin K include green leafy vegetables such as collards, green leaf lettuce, kale, mustard greens, parsley, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens, as well as vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. Other sources that are less rich in vitamin K include meats, fish, liver, eggs and cereals.
